Pirate Spyglass

Dylan's imagination has grown in the last few months. He's really enjoying costumes and pretend play so much more that I've started expanding his costume collection. Most recently we added a pirate hat. Of course, all good pirates need a spyglass to help when searching for treasure so we dug around the house for supplies to create one. Here's how to make your own.

Supplies

• plastic or paper cup
• toilet paper tube
• aluminum foil
• tape
• glue (if desired)
• scissors (adult use only!)
• any decorative material you might like (stickers, buttons, etc) 

Start by cutting a hole in the bottom of the cup that is equal size to the toilet paper tube diameter. You can trace the tube outline to help. Note it doesn't have to be perfect.

Cut a few small slits along one end of the toilet paper tube. Have your child fold each of these sections outward.

Now slide the tube into the cup and out. Stop when the folded sections hit the bottom of the cup. Tape and/or glue in place.

Tear small sheets of aluminum foil. Wrap the tube and cup. Use tape and/or glue to adhere. We stuck entirely to tape using masking tape mainly in "hidden" areas and finishing off with black electrical tape. These could be decorated even further by adding stickers, gluing buttons or rhinestones, etc.

When complete, let your pirate imagination run wild as you search for treasure using your new spyglass! Dylan likes to do so from his Step2 Woodland Climber "ship" in the backyard as well as from various locations throughout the house. :)

A version of this post originally ran on August 22, 2012 for Arts & Crafts Thursday at Notes from a Mom in Chapel Hill blog here.