Make: DIY Kaleidoscope

In this multi-dimensional tutorial from ACR staff member, Ericka, we'll show you how to make a cool kaleidoscope out of materials you may already have lying around the house! Little ones should have adult supervision when making their creation. [video width="1920" height="1080" mp4="https://www.austincreativereuse.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Kaleidescope-Video.mp4"][/video]  

Supplies:

• Old CDs or DVDs
• Cardstock or Craft Foam
• Ruler
• Pen, Pencil, or Marker
• Scissors and/or Utility Knife
• Tape
• Glue Gun
• Optional:
  • Thumb Tack
  • Dowel, Pencil, or Chopstick
  • Clear Plastic Lid
  • Colorful Embellishments

  

Instructions:

1. Take your CDs and slowly cut in half, some CDs are a little more brittle and may break, get a few extra CDs just in case! Then draw two parallel lines on the CD that are 1 inch apart. slowly cut along the lines. You will do this step three times!

  

2. Tape your three cut CD pieces and fold them into a triangle! As you can see, our kaleidoscope has pointy edges. On to the next step!

  

3. To add a little barrier between the CDs and our face, we'll make a cylinder to go around our mirror triangles. Grab your foam or cardstock and plug in your glue gun! You will then place your CD pieces in the foam and measure out a 1/8th inch barrier on each side of the kaleidoscope and mark with a pen or sharpie. Then measure 5 inches from the edge of your foam. Cut out the rectangle. Your rectangle should measure 5 inches by 4 5/8th inches.

  

4. Take your glue gun and lay some glue onto the long edge of the CD triangle, then press it near the edge of your foam sheet. Roll your CD triangle until you get to the edge of your foam. Glue the edge down! You're basically done with your kaleidoscope. Look through the kaleidoscope, so fun!

  

These next steps are extra! Just to add a little more color to your kaleidoscope.

5. Take a pencil, chopstick, or dowel and cut it down (here's where you can use a box cutter) to be only an inch longer than your kaleidoscope. If using a pencil, don't cut off the eraser side!

  

6. Take a plastic lid and poke a hole into the center with a tack. Grab your colorful objects and get to gluing! Don't place any objects on the hole you made, we'll be using this later! The more items you put onto your lid, the more colorful, so fill it up.

  

7. Place the tack through the lid and then push the tack into your chopstick, dowel, or pencil (if using a pencil, stick through the eraser.

  

8. Tape your stick onto the side of your kaleidoscope, near the top and the bottom. Wrap a couple times for extra security and use cute tape to make it festive!