kaleidoscope

Activity: Kaleidoscope

Target participant group: kids in homeless shelters

Therapeutic potential of this activity: This activity helps improve imagination, creativity, following direction, self confidence, social skills and fine motor skills.

What other groups may benefit from this activity? This activity may be beneficial to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, physical disabilities, kids of abusive homes or dealing with a terminal illness.

What groups may not be as appropriate for this activity? This activity is not age appropriate for most adults or the elderly.

Activity description: Begin by cutting your mirror card into three strips. Sellotape the three sides together to form a triangular prism. Make sure the shiniest sides face inwards. Push into kitchen roll tube so that the prism is flush at one end. Then Cut two discs of plastic. One disc needs to be totally transparent whilst the other needs to be frosted. If you haven’t got frosted plastic to hand then simply glue a piece of greaseproof paper onto a transparent disc. Put the transparent disc inside the tube so that it rests at the end of the prism. Tape into place. Pour your beads into the end of the tube. Do not overfill. Place the frosted plastic disc onto the end and secure in place with tape. Turn the kaleidoscope over. At this end tape a disc of cardboard with a peephole cut into the center. now decorate as you wish!

Resources needed: For this activity you will need a kitchen roll, Mirror card, Small colourful transparent objects (e.g. beads, sweet wrappers), Three transparent plastic discs, Scissors, Glue stick, Sticky tape, Greaseproof paper disc (optional), Black paper disc (optional) and Paper to decorate (optional)

Best leadership style for this activity: The best leadership style for this activity would be a democratic style. As the leader it is important to give clear directions to your participants and to make sure

Where did you find this activity?
This site also has other great craft
http://www.minieco.co.uk/kitchen-roll-kaleidoscope/

Where can others find more information on this activity?
This link is to a site that give instructions on how to make a kaleidoscope from PCP. This may be a nice alternative to the paper roll construction.
http://www.optics.arizona.edu/academics/kaleidoscopehowtomakeakaleidoscope.htm