This is a fun and easy craft where you get to use items you most likely have several of at home – toilet rolls. These child’s binoculars are simple and are fun, but also serve a great purpose to help our children focus on what they see.

YOU WILL NEED:

• toilet rolls or paper towel rolls (cut into 2)
• paint (optional)
• tape
• hole punch
• string/yarn/elastic
• scissors
• stickers or decorative items (optional)

HOW TO MAKE THEM:

• If you want to paint the toilet rolls, do this first and let them dry.
• Tape 2 rolls together, making sure the ends are even.
• Punch a hole in one end on the outer side of the roll.
• Punch another hole on the opposite side.
• Cut a length of yarn, string or elastic.
• Tie the ends to the holes to make a neck strap.
• Decorate if you wish.

HOW TO USE THESE BINOCULARS

These are a great observational tool. It allows your child to look at something, limiting the peripheral. For younger children this is a great exercise. What do you see before you? Can you look closer? What do you see now?

You can also play I-Spy with them for fun.

What I like to use them with is nature journaling.

Check out this post on nature journaling. My girls enjoy doing this. It is a wonderful opportunity to get outside and observe nature. Explore the finer details of pinecones. Observe the intricacies of a spider web. You can then draw what you see.

Child’s binoculars help to focus the vision of your child. You can buy actual ones – and they are worth the purchase – but you can also use your homemade ones.

Build observational skills 

It encourages children to see the detail in the bigger picture. You use senses such as sight, sound, smell and touch, and therefore observe in more than one way.

Have fun making these and finding wonders around you. Let this simple, child craft be something you can all enjoy!