Learn how to make a kaleidoscope in this fun STEM/science activity and craft for kids. It’s such a fun way to explore light, reflections, and symmetry!
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*This post was originally published 2/2/16 and has since been updated.
Last week I made these super fun kaleidoscopes with my after school science class (which is composed of 1st and 2nd graders). They loved exploring how their own designs reflected in the kaleidoscopes- such a fun STEAM activity for elementary students! (This post contains affiliate links.)
Meets Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS):
- Grade 1: Light and Sound PS 4 -2 and PS 4-3
- Grade 4: PS 4-2
SEE IT IN ACTION HERE
STEAM for Kids: How to Make a Kaleidoscope
Materials for Homemade Kaleidoscope
- Empty toilet paper roll
- Mylar sheets (thicker sheets, not rolls of thin paper) or mirrored sheets
- Scissors and/or paper cutter (This is the paper cutter I keep at home. It’s come in super handy!)
- Tape
- White cardstock
- Bendy straw
- Markers, stickers, or other materials for decorating your spinning circle
- Optional: Paint for decorating your cardboard tube
Directions for Homemade Kaleidoscope
1. If you are planning on painting your cardboard tube, do that first. We used our favorite tempera paint. Set it aside to dry.
2. Next, you’ll need to cut your mylar sheets or mirrored sheets into three equal strips. You’ll want the size to be just right so the finished kaleidoscope insert fits snuggly in your cardboard tube and won’t fall out.
We used cardboard tubes from an empty Cottonelle toilet paper roll. I’m not sure if different brands of toilet paper use different sizes of cardboard tubes, but these are the exact sizes that worked with our Cottonelle tubes. You might need to adjust yours depending on the size of your tube. (Since you won’t want to waste any mylar, practice sizing yours using cardstock first.)
We cut our mylar into strips that measured 9.7cm x 3.5 cm.
3. Line up your mylar strips, leave a tiny space between each one. (Place the shiniest/least scratched sides face down.) Tape them together over the spaces.
4. Fold the taped mylar into a triangular prism and tape along the top to hold in place.
5. This should fit snuggly inside your cardboard tube.
6. Cut off the bendy end of a flexible straw.
7. Tape it along the top of your tube with the flexible part of the straw hanging over the edge.
8. Cut out 3 circles from cardstock. Ours measured 3.75 inches in diameter. (You can print out our free circle template or just make your own.)
9. Poke a hole in the center of your circle. (I used a sharp pencil.)
10. Decorate the circle using markers, stickers, crayons etc. Try out different designs, shapes, and letters!
11. Place the circle onto your straw with the design facing the kaleidoscope. You want the hole to fit over the flexible portion of the straw so it will turn easily.
12. Look into your kaleidoscope and explore all the reflections created by your design!
Tips
- If you have trouble getting your triangular prism to fit snuggly into your cardboard tube, it will work on its own. Simply tape the straw directly on top of the prism rather than using a tube.
- Make as many cardstock circles as you want and try them all out!
Be sure to check out STEAM Kids book and ebook for even more creative STEM and STEAM ideas!
Where do you find our mylar?
What is the thickness?
Hi Susan- The link to where I bought our mylar sheets is here. I’m not sure where to buy them at a local store. They were a bit thicker than cardstock.
Can aluminum foiled replace Mylar sheets?
I meant foil, not foiled.
It may work if you wrap cardstock in aluminum foil. It needs to be thick to keep it’s shape.
Aluminum foil is not reflective enough to work.
We tried aluminum foil, but it didn’t give a good enough reflection. The mirror sheets work much better. Amazon no longer carries the mylar.
Thank you so much. I shared this on our Facebook page today, so that teachers and parents can use this to help teach the Creation in Sunday School. It works great for teaching day 1, when God separated the light from the darkness.
What a great idea! Thanks so much for sharing!
Do the Mylar Sheets need to be silver or will any color work?
Can you suggest a cheaper alternative to the mylar sheets? I want to do this for about 200 kids at Vacation Bible School, but we cannot afford to purchase that many mylar sheets. Thanks!
You can use Transparency Sheets instead of Mylar. It is much cheaper.
I’m using these for our VBS too. I couldn’t find the Mylar so I tried the Transparency Sheets and they do work. I also tried the heavier scrap book paper in a shiny silver and that worked too. Can’t wait to see what the children create.
Mirror board works well too and you don’t have to cut three separate pieces. Make a template with the three pieces attached and instead of cutting them apart score the back, fold and just tape the two ends together with the mirror on the inside of the triangle. This is a lot easier!!
What ages has everyone done this with? I need something for a very broad range (5-12, though most are 5-10). I’m afraid this will seem to babyish if there are 11-12 year olds…
Thanks – this was a great project!It came out really well. I was honestly a little worried but everything worked out.
Hello! Do you know about how many mylar or mirrored sheets would be needed for a class of 25 students or how many kaleidoscopes a single sheet can make? Thank you! Looks like a fun lesson
Using the second option, the “mirrored sheets”, you could get two per sheet x 4 sheets in the package= 8 kaleidoscopes. I might grab one extra set OR just be sure to measure your particular rolls/tubes you are using to be sure they fit. Maybe practice cutting something like card stock first into the strips (as if it was the mirrored sheet), taping the strips cardstock strips together and inserting them in the tube. Once you have the correct measurements for your particular tube, then cut the mirrored sheets. 🙂