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We are about a month away from the official first day of spring, so while your little rugrats are experiencing cabin fever, pull this idea out of your hat and they’ll love you for it. This homemade binocular craft is a fun way to get excited for spring, while still being able to utilize them while stuck inside. Great for bird watching or a fun indoor adventure game too!
Here’s what you are going to need for one pair of binoculars. You can most certainly substitute the camouflage felt with another pattern or solid color.
Be sure to visit the kid’s crafts section for more ideas!
Cardboard Tube Binoculars
printable version
2 cardboard bathroom tissue tubes
1 sheet camouflage felt
Scissors
White craft glue
Craft foam
6 rubber bands
40” piece of twine
Pen
Tip: If you like the idea of the camouflage felt but can’t find it, you can make your own by gluing different shades of the same color onto a like piece of felt or construction paper.
Lay felt, design side down, on the work surface and cut felt in half.
Roll up the cardboard tube inside the felt, gluing as you go. Trim off excess. Repeat for the other tube.
Cut a strip of craft foam long enough to go around the end of the tube, about 3/4” wide. Glue the strip around the end of the cardboard tube, lining up the felt seam with the craft foam strip seam.
Secure with a rubber band. Repeat for the other tube.
Cut another strip long enough to go around the opposite end of the tube, only this time cut it 1/2” wide. Glue as above and secure with a rubber band.
Place the tubes side by sides with the seams facing each other. Put a rubber band around both tubes to hold them in place.
Use a pen to poke a hole in the side of the tube, about 1/2” below the 1/2” wide craft foam strip. Insert the end of your twine into the hole from the outside of the tube. Bring it through the tube and tie a double knot. Trim off excess and gently pull the twine taut. The knot will keep the twine from coming back out through the hole. Repeat on the other side.
Pipe a generous amount of white craft glue in between the two tubes, lip over and do the other side as well. Let them dry completely, several hours or overnight, before removing the rubber bands and using your binoculars.
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These are great Amanda! Thanks so much for sharing on Craft Schooling Sunday!
What a fantastic idea. Just great for summer play:)
What a fabulous idea !! My 4 year old son would love these. Thanks for sharing !! *Becca*
Oh! These really are fun! Love them!! Will have to make some ASAP!
Do come and link up again at Kids Get Crafty? Current linky: http://www.redtedart.com/2011/02/16/kids-get-crafty-robot-cards-the-robot-the-blue-bird/ But new one out on Wednesday!
Maggy
LOVE this idea! Very clever and I definitely will be trying this out for my little boys … and link back to you of course. Thanks for a great tutorial!
I adore these. I host a craft time at my local library and this would be the perfect craft for the kiddos!! Thanks for the idea!! I would love it if you link up to my party, A Marvelous Mess. I will be picking one project to feature on the sidebar of my blog for a week!! Here is the link:
http://marvelouslymessy.blogspot.com/2011/02/marvelous-mess_20.html
Fantastic idea!
What a cool idea! This is one of those items I wish I had thought of!
Wish I had the creativity you have, little ones again and this kind of imagination you are truly gifted!
Love how you wrapped these binoculars in that paper! At school the kids make these – gotta tell them about the wrapping :)
Thanks everyone! :) Looking forward to spring :)
You've been featured!! I featured your fabulous tutorial at Kids Create with UCreate.
Becky
http://ucreatewithkids.blogspot.com/
Thank you so much for the feature Becky! I really appreciate it – so glad you joined your sister and will be featuring fun things for the kiddos :) Hope you'll stop by more often
Thank you for linking up! Will also feature it in "Spring Get Crafty" next week (after all, as Spring comes along you need your binoculars for finding all those lovely birds!)
Maggy
This is great. I have been collecting our toilet paper rolls to do binoculars for my little preschool and wasn't quite sure how I was going to do this…this post was perfect timing and saves me some hassle.
Will be flying kites later in he afternoon. These binoculars will surely come in handy! I'll be adding colored celophane paper to make he visual more 3D!
These are awesome!
This is so cute! I might give this a go this weekend!
What a GREAT idea. These would be such a fun idea for a jungle themed party or a backyard campout. Thanks for sharing the tutorial!
I'd love it if you would like this project on our new Party themed blog link party here: http://kimskandykreations.blogspot.com/2011/02/shindig-saturday-party-blog-hop.html
I'm stopping by from TT&J to say "I love these." I am a preschool teacher as well as a blogger and will so be doing this with my son and in my classroom. This is the cutest idea. It will be great in for our insect unit for bug hunts and even for Letter Scavenger Hunts. Again I love it!
Stop by my blog if ya get a chance.
http://www.warmfuzzypurpleandgold.blogspot.com
(Spring Get Crafty is now out!!! I featured you: http://www.redtedart.com/2011/03/01/spring-get-crafty/ thanks for a lovely craft to include!)
Thanks for this idea! I'm going to try it!
This is great! My kids will love this.
how cute! i've been saving tp rolls and wondering what to make of them. my little explorers would love this.
I just made these with my son last night. They are fabulous!! Of course I linked back to you. I love your site! http://vermontwhitneys.blogspot.com/2011/03/i-spy-with-my-little-eye.html
I love these – possibly the best use of cardboard tubes I've seen. I'm definitely linking to this in my post on cardboard tubes. thanks for sharing!
This is an excellent activity for younger children. So easy to make and look fantastic.
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