Easy crafts for kids – how to make binoculars that work

It is always great to discover new ideas for keeping your kids busy during holiday times or weekends, but particularly now, when we have been trapped in ‘COVID-19 Lockdown’, for what seems like in an interminable amount of time. And with all the toilet-roll stock piling that’s been happening in recent weeks, we’ve found a great use for all those empty rolls!

Our girls (Christina 3 years, Jessica 22 months) have always had a love of being outside and it’s times like this when we are thankful for our leafy garden with room to play and a world of nature to discover. They have been fascinated by birds since they were old enough to spot the Swee Waxbills coming to our bird feeder or watch the Hadeda’s foraging for worms in the grass. They even have their own profiles on Chirp to record all their sightings; Christina is on 124 species and Jessica is on 36. So, inspired by a session on Pinterest, I knew they would love these easy and creative DIY binoculars!

What you need:

  • 2 x empty toilet rolls (or you could use a kitchen roll cut in half)
  • String or ribbon
  • Craft glue
  • Paint, Stickers, Washi tape or other decorative goodies

Step 1

Let your kids go wild painting the toilet rolls. We decided to keep ours to a plain colour. Plus the girls are 2 & 3 and my capacity for dealing with extreme painting chaos is limited! You can also cover them by sticking bits of coloured tissue paper if you want a different look.

Step 2

We stuck washi tape around one edge to look like eyecups then ran a line of craft glue down the edge and stuck them together. We secured them with pegs and left them overnight to make sure the glue was properly dried. You could most likely get away with leaving them for 30 mins to an hour if you have impatient little ones!

Step 3

Cut a length of string or ribbon to fix for the strap. You will need to pierce a hole on each outer edge using something sharp and then thread the string through and knot securely.

Step 4

Decorate with stickers, more washi tape or other goodies.

Step 5

Get outside and test them out! The girls were fascinated to see what birds, insects and butterflies they could find and they have been a permanent fixture around their necks for the last few days!
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