A simple kaleidoscope is made up of a viewing tube and an object chamber. It takes at least one mirror to distort and reflect objects in the kaleidoscope’s object chamber. A viewing tube lacking mirrors is considered a teleidoscope. Rather than distorting objects of an object chamber, the teleidoscope distorts all objects within a line of sight.
Before making a kaleidoscope, crafters will first need to create a teleidoscope. Essentially this will serve as the base for the finished kaleidoscope. Take an empty cardboard tube from a roll of paper towel and trim it to 11” in length. Find a piece of white paper and wrap it around the tube, trimming it so its just long enough to cover the cardboard. Purchase clear, flexible plastic from a craft or office supplies store and cut that to the same size as the white paper. Lay the plastic on top of the white paper and roll it up; slide it into the cardboard tube. It will unravel to fit the tube. Now, the world is ready to be explored. Students can look through one end of the teleidoscope to discover distorted objects all around.
Adding an object chamber to the teleidoscope by cutting two squares of was paper about 6 inches wide is the first step toward the preschooler's finished kaleidoscope. Shave pieces of crayons in several colors and place the bits on one sheet of wax paper; cover with the other piece. Iron the two pieces of wax paper together. Invite children to hold their new object chambers up to the end of the kaleidoscope. As they look through the other end and move the wax paper, the images they see will change. Children can discuss how the colors and images change when they move the object chambers.
After making a kaleidoscope from scratch using a paper towel roll, ask children if they understand how the project came together. See if they can scout the classroom or their own homes for other tools that would have the same impact on the world around them. Can they imagine how an empty wrapping paper tube would be as a kaleidoscope? Maybe something in their toy box could serve as the base for one as well. Students can decorate their kaleidoscopes to reflect their own personalities too. Stickers, glitter, crayons and markers are great items to use and make their own kaleidoscopes stand out from others'.