We first made Victorian Thaumatropes many summers ago…. it was at a special Victorian Summer Fair that some London museums had organised (such as the fabulous Charles Dickens Museum – where we have also made some water marbled notebooks before.. a fabulous place!). Ever since then I have wanted to share the Victorian Thaumatropes with you. Thaumatropes are a great (and classic) STEAM Project for Kids. It works on the basis of an optical illusion and are a great DIY Toy to make. To make life easier, I created some printable templates for you (it is all about lining up your images correctly..) BUT have made two versions – one to print, cut and colour.. the other to DESIGN your OWN Snowglobe. Hopefully that will give you creativity enough lee way, whilst still providing you with a great Printable Thaumatrope for Christmas & Winter (we have many more fabulous Christmas Printables for you to browse too and LOTS more Winter Crafts for Kids)!! We love the darling Snowglobe design, as it allows you to make these cute Thaumatropes both for Christmas (add Christmas details such as Santa’s, Rudolphs and gifts) AND Winter (add Winter details, such as Snowmen, Penguins and Polar Bears)… lots of STEAM fun for both the home and the classroom!!! More wonderful Christmas STEAM Activities here.
And a big thank you to my Red Ted Art reader “down under”, Jenny, who asked me if I could make these!! I do love hearing your requests and suggestions and where possible (I have a massive to do list), I do try and make them… (oh and check out our New Year’s Eve Thaumatrope Designs too!).
DIY Thaumatrope – Materials
RED TED ART TVPrintable Santa Thaumatrope – Cut & Colour
- Your Printables
- Cut & Colour – including, Santa, Penguin and Snowman)
- Design your own Snowglobe
- Pens (those of you interested in my watercolour pencils.. I have these US/ UK (affiliate links))
- Glue stick
- Scissors
- String (we love good old Baker’s Twine – get some here (US/ UK) (affiliate links))
Winter Thaumatrope Snowman Printable – Cut & Colour
Design Your Own Thaumatrope: Christmas Thaumatrope – Draw, Colour & Cut – use the handy guides to place your drawing
Design Your Own Thaumatrope: Valentines Thaumatrope – who says you have to stick to Winter themes? Add some “heart glitter” and off you go..
As mentioned before, these Thaumatropes are great as a Christmas Thaumatrope DIY and as a more general Winter Thaumatrope DIY… just choose the printables accordingly.. and make the Design Your Own Thaumatrope Christmassy or Wintery!
How to make a Winter Thaumatrope –
A DIY Thaumatrope Video:
How to make a Thaumatrope – Step by Step instructions
You can make your Christmas Thaumatrope WITHOUT printables if you wish.. what you need to bear in mind is, that your drawings and images must align. I have done this for you with the handy printables. Why not have a go at the printables and once you “get” how the two sides work together, have a go at creating your own from scratch? Draw side one… then overlay it with a sheet of paper and draw side two…
The Penguin Thaumatrope is one of our Cut & Colour Winter Thaumatrope Printables
- Colour in your thaumatropes. Remember there is a set to print, where you can design your own snowglobe Thaumatrope. If making these before Christmas, add lovely Christmas themed drawings to your Thaumatrope.. if making these in the New Year why not as some great Winter Thaumatrope themes… or even turn it into a Valentine’s Snowglobe.. with some raining hearts?
- NOTE: When designing your own snowglobe, I have labeled the printable with “top” this is the top of your snowglobe and you have do your drawing the right away round.. else your snowglobe contents will be upside down.
- Now cut our your circles.
- Glue your front and back together. NOTE: your front as to be “right way up” and your back has to be “upside down”. Also you MUST aline the little black dots, in order for it all to work nicely.
- Make some holes with sharp scissors/ hole punch or a needle using the black dots that are there as markers.
- Thread through a piece of Baker’s Twiner (around 10-15cm is nice, but you don’t need much!)
Start twirling your Christmas Thaumatrope (or Winter Thaumatrope and say AAAAAAAAHHHHH).
Enjoy!!!
We have a super fun collection of Christmas STEAM Activities here:
More Christmas Prinables:
More fabulous Winter Crafts for Kids:
And just so you can see them all again.. because we love our Snowglobe Thaumatropes so much:
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