TOOLS OF THE DETECTIVE TRADE:
BINOCULARS
Detectives definitely need a pair of binoculars to find clues or study a suspect from a distance!
Can you spot the eagle that is making that loud call? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlq2kcYQcLc)
Can you spot a bear in your backyard? And maybe watch it exploring and playing games from a safe distance? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm8WXtrmjjg
Can you spot a friend sneaking up to surprise you?
Can you read the license plate on the car that just drove by so fast?
Can you read the sign that your adult holds up for you from across the street? (“Time for ice cream” or “I love you” or something funny?)
Real binoculars are complicated and precise instruments, involving two lenses and prisms between them.
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This article helps explain if you want to learn more: https://www.explainthatstuff.com/binoculars.html
But we can make some for playing. You will need:
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2 toilet paper cardboard rolls
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Stapler or glue
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Scissors
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String
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Paint
Optional:
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Hole puncher
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Toy magnifying glasses with 1 5/8” plastic lenses. (You can find them online, or in party shops or toy stores.)
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Steps:
1. Paint the toilet paper rolls anyway you want. We just used silver poster paint on ours.
2. Staple or glue them side-by-side.
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3. Poke two holes in the outer side of each roll using a scissor blade tip or the hole puncher, and thread the ends of the string in and out of the holes and knot them, forming a neck strap.
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4. You can stop there, or …
5. You can break the handles off four play magnifying glasses and glue the remaining lenses on the ends of the rolls.
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BUT, while the binoculars then look cool, they really don’t work. The inexpensive lenses distort the image, and turn it upside down because there aren’t the correcting prisms in the middle of the rolls – interesting to learn but not as much fun for playing detective!
Time to go look for clues...
