Monday Makery - Telescopic Adventures

The cold weather and dark colours of winter have me hankering for some brighter sights. Not playing outside very much but rather opting to stay in the cosy warmth of home, we've been playing pirates with tables turned upside down for ships, cushions on the floor making stepping stones over the crocodile swamp and toilet roll telescopes as we look out to sea for islands that might hold handsome treasure.
We discovered the African Savannah as we sailed across the Sitting-Room Ocean and at night we gaze up at the planets in the sky. We even saw a group of circus animals rehearsing for their performance!
Your travels and adventures can take you to wherever you want to go all you have to is imagine it.

Here's what you'll need:

1. Toilet roll/ kitchen roll cardboard tubes
2. Paper
3. Small pictures you can draw, cut from magazines, printed from images found or perhaps printed holiday photos
4. Scissors
5. Sticky tape
6. Glue stick

Here's how:

1. Take a toilet roll tube and open it up by cutting along the length.
2. Then, cut it into strips about an inch wide.
3. Taking a piece of sticky tape and recreate a circle with the strip by using the sticky tape to bridge a gap of about an inch, widening the circle which you will use to create a cap for the telescope.
4. Cut out a circle of paper about 2cm larger than the diameter of the cardboard tube and draw your chosen image.
5. Now, stick the circle over the end of your 'cap' securing it with sticky tape the entire circumference of the card. Decorate however you wish.

You can make as many different caps as you like using different images or perhaps even just different weather. 

Aha there me maties... I be seein thaa sister crew tryin a steel me golden treasure

Here's an alternative:

You'll need:

• toilet roll tube / kitchen roll rube
• acrylic paint / permanent markers
• Scissors
• Clear plastic yoghurt pot lid

Here's how: 

1. Begin by drawing your window onto the plastic lid by marking around the circumference of the cardboard tube.
2. Draw your desired picture in the window that you've created.
3. Once the paint is dry cut around the window leaving the upper part of the lid where the ridge is so you can easily lift and slide the window into place.
4. Finally, cut a slit almost all the way around the end of the toilet roll tube and slide in your window.

We also discovered that the plastic trays that berries are sometimes packaged in work well. We didn't have any to hand but sharpie pens might work very well for this.

Happy Making and Happy Adventures

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