Do you have a little toddler or preschool boy (or girl!) who loves to explore and craves adventure… but isn’t so much into arts and crafts? Yeah, me, too. Making a mess or scribbling dramatically across a page is way more fun for my 3-year-old than creating a fun project or making a beautiful picture. That’s why I love this toddler-friendly binocular craft. It’s super easy, takes very little time, can handle a little scribble action, and furthermore, aids in adventure and exploration.
They say that for the little ones, art is about the process and not the end product, which is true. But what I love most about these cute little binoculars is that not only are they fun to make, they are also fun to use! I’m not sure which part my son enjoyed more, to be honest.
We made these binoculars to help us learn about the Bible story of the ten Israelites who spied out the land of Canaan; but you can use them to illustrate any story about spies, hunters, soldiers… or little boys who love to go exploring!
You will need:
2 toilet paper cardboard tubes (or 1 paper towel cube cut carefully in half)
1 piece construction paper, any color
stamps, crayons, markers, and/or paint
staples
glue stick
To make the binoculars:
Cut 2 4×6.5” rectangles out of the construction paper. Decorate one side of each rectangle in any way desired, using rubber stamps, crayons, colored pencils, markers or paint. Older children can make repeating patterns or intricate designs, while younger children will be content with random stamps and scribbles. It’s all good! For an extra special touch, use a glitter glue pen to add shine and sparkle.
Carefully glue each rectangle to the toilet paper tubes, securing with a clothespin until it dries, if necessary. Place the seams of each covered toilet paper tube against each other, then slide the stapler into the tubes. Staple the two tubes together on each end and once in the middle.
Does your toddler enjoy crafts?
That’s a great idea!! I will try this with my little 3-year-old girl who has a thing for looking at the moon lately… she will get a kick out of looking at it through her own binoculars, I’m sure.