How to Make a Thaumatrope
Cut a circle out of a stiff board material., Pieces of paper on top, piece from circular box on bottom Cut two pieces of paper into a circular shape of the same size as the board piece., Stick the pictures on the front and the back of the board...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Cut a circle out of a stiff board material.
The stiffer the material, the better.
If using corrugated cardboard, you can use this method, or the method below.
One option is to find a circular box such as the one pictured here.
Separate the frame from one of the board pieces.
You can use a craft knife for this purpose, but this should be done by an adult, not a child. -
Step 2: Pieces of paper on top
You can do this by tracing the board piece on the paper twice, then cutting along the outlines.
Draw a picture on each piece of paper.
In this example, there is a cat on one piece and a teardrop and fishbowl on the other piece., Be careful about the placement of the pictures in relation to each other.
It must align precisely with where you want the moving image to appear on the front image.
For instance, here you can see the goldfish bowl and the teardrop aligned carefully on the back piece so that when it is twisted later on, the teardrop appears underneath the eye and the bowl above the cat's head, as if it is a thought bubble.
To test and make sure that the pictures align correctly, you can attach them with a paper clip and flip the card rapidly a few times to get an idea for how they will match up. , They should be at opposite sides of the image (on the far right and the far left)., Put one end of the rubber band a little bit through the hole, then pull the rest of the rubber band through the loop that you just pushed through the hole, and pull tight.
Alternatively, you can use string or yarn. , Hold a rubber band in each hand and have someone flip the card over and over until totally twisted tight.
Pull each rubber band apart quickly and the card will start spinning.
If you used string or yarn instead, pull them tight, holding the ends with your index finger and thumb, and rub the fingertips together to turn the string (as shown in the video below).
Your thaumatrope creation is transformed into a single picture by the twisting action.
Repeat as often as wished.
Children will be mesmerized. -
Step 3: piece from circular box on bottom Cut two pieces of paper into a circular shape of the same size as the board piece.
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Step 4: Stick the pictures on the front and the back of the board piece using glue.
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Step 5: Make two holes as pictured.
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Step 6: Insert a rubber band in each of the two holes.
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Step 7: Wind up both rubber bands.
Detailed Guide
The stiffer the material, the better.
If using corrugated cardboard, you can use this method, or the method below.
One option is to find a circular box such as the one pictured here.
Separate the frame from one of the board pieces.
You can use a craft knife for this purpose, but this should be done by an adult, not a child.
You can do this by tracing the board piece on the paper twice, then cutting along the outlines.
Draw a picture on each piece of paper.
In this example, there is a cat on one piece and a teardrop and fishbowl on the other piece., Be careful about the placement of the pictures in relation to each other.
It must align precisely with where you want the moving image to appear on the front image.
For instance, here you can see the goldfish bowl and the teardrop aligned carefully on the back piece so that when it is twisted later on, the teardrop appears underneath the eye and the bowl above the cat's head, as if it is a thought bubble.
To test and make sure that the pictures align correctly, you can attach them with a paper clip and flip the card rapidly a few times to get an idea for how they will match up. , They should be at opposite sides of the image (on the far right and the far left)., Put one end of the rubber band a little bit through the hole, then pull the rest of the rubber band through the loop that you just pushed through the hole, and pull tight.
Alternatively, you can use string or yarn. , Hold a rubber band in each hand and have someone flip the card over and over until totally twisted tight.
Pull each rubber band apart quickly and the card will start spinning.
If you used string or yarn instead, pull them tight, holding the ends with your index finger and thumb, and rub the fingertips together to turn the string (as shown in the video below).
Your thaumatrope creation is transformed into a single picture by the twisting action.
Repeat as often as wished.
Children will be mesmerized.
About the Author
Jean Stewart
A passionate writer with expertise in cooking topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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