DIY: Rainbow Vision Spectacles

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Rainbow Vision Spectacles

Stem Activities

Ages: 6-8

Greater than 30 minutes

Grownup needed

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You might know that sunlight is made up of rainbow colours, but have you ever wondered what the world would look like if we randomly removed one colour? Let's make a pair of rainbow vision spectacles! Through these glasses, you'll see colour and light changes that are normally invisible, exploring the magic of light!

Materials Needed

Printable template paper
Coloured cellophane paper
White card
Coloured card
Double-sided tape
White glue
Scissors
Two split pins
Pencil
Ruler

Laid out on a light wood-grain surface are various craft supplies, suggesting preparation for a project. These supplies include: a printed sheet of paper with two large circles featuring smaller circles within them, reminiscent of film reels; a roll of clear tape; a white bottle of glue; a pair of small, blue-handled scissors; a pencil; a clear plastic ruler; a few brass fasteners; and several strips of colorful paper in orange, purple, and yellow. The arrangement indicates the materials needed for a likely paper-based craft activity.

Step-by-step tutorial

Step 1

Download and print two copies of the template. Cut along the black edges using scissors, making sure to cut out the grey circles as well.

On a light wooden surface, two hands are working on paper cutouts of film reels. Several of these cutouts, featuring a central hole and smaller circles around it, are visible. One hand holds a cutout with grey circles while the other hand uses scissors to trim a grey circle. The process suggests a craft project involving these film reel shapes.

Step 2

Take white card and cut two 21cm x 7cm rectangles.

Two blank white rectangular pieces of paper are placed on a light-colored wooden surface. The top rectangle has dimensions marked as 21cm in length and 7cm in width. The bottom rectangle appears to be the same size, though its dimensions are not labeled. This image likely depicts the preparation stage of a paper craft project, showing the size of paper required.

Step 3

Using a pencil and ruler, draw guide lines on the cut rectangles as shown.

A rectangular piece of white paper rests on a light wood-grain background. Light pencil lines divide the paper into sections. Measurements are marked: 3.5cm for the height, 10.5cm for the width, and a 4cm segment along the horizontal midline. This image likely illustrates the steps in a paper crafting project, showing how to measure and cut the paper.

Step 4

Fold the grey circles from step 1 in half, align the fold with the horizontal line and marked points, and draw a circle with your pencil. Repeat for the other side.

A piece of white paper, marked with dimensions of 10.5cm wide and 3.5cm high, lies on a light wood-grained surface. A pencil-drawn circle is on the left side, and a slightly larger silver foil circle is on the right. A line connects the centers of the circles, marked as 4cm. The image seems to illustrate a step in a craft project, possibly demonstrating the sizing or placement of the foil piece onto the paper.

Step 5

Take the marked rectangles and fold the corners inward along the centre horizontal line.

Two hands fold the outer edges of a rectangular piece of white paper inward, towards the center, on a light wooden surface. The paper has two circles drawn on it, one in each half, and a faint vertical line appears in the middle where the folds meet. This image likely demonstrates a step in a paper-folding or origami project.

Step 6

Cut out the circles drawn on the card. Then cut away the folded corners along the crease lines. Repeat for the second rectangle.

On a light wooden table, two hands manipulate a piece of white paper. The paper has two circular holes cut out and is folded lengthwise with angled edges. One hand holds the paper while the other hand uses scissors to cut off one of the pointed ends. The image suggests a craft project in progress.

Step 7

Cut two 4cm x 4cm squares from each of the 6 different coloured cellophane papers and trim the corners as shown.

A collection of small, translucent, colored plastic shapes are scattered on a light wooden surface. The shapes are roughly square or octagonal with rounded corners and come in various colors including red, blue, green, yellow, purple, orange, and clear. They appear to be color filters or gels, possibly for photography or lighting.

Step 8

Apply double-sided tape to the templates and stick the coloured cellophane over the cut-out spaces. Do this for both templates.

Two circular white paper wheels rest on a light wood-grain surface. Each wheel has translucent colored cellophane shapes attached around the center point, resembling a color wheel. The colors on each wheel include red, yellow, green, blue, purple, and orange. The arrangement of the colors varies slightly between the two wheels. This image likely depicts a learning tool for color theory or a craft project involving color mixing.

Step 9

Ensure the cellophane-covered side faces up. Apply double-sided tape to the remaining templates and align them with the prepared ones, creating your spectacle wheels.

Two hands interact with a pair of color wheels on a light wooden table. The wheels are made of white paper with circular openings filled with translucent colored cellophane. The colors include red, yellow, green, blue, purple, and orange. One wheel is slightly further away, while the closer wheel is being actively turned by one of the hands. This image likely demonstrates a color-mixing activity or an educational toy related to color theory.

Step 10

Use a pencil to make holes in the centre black dots of both assembled wheels.

Two hands manipulate two color wheels on a light wooden background. The wheels are made of white paper with circular cutouts covered with translucent colored cellophane. The colors include red, yellow, green, blue, purple, and orange. One hand holds one wheel steady, while the other hand uses a blue pencil to spin the second wheel, presumably to demonstrate color mixing or a similar concept.

Step 11

Align the wheel lenses with the circular cut-outs in the rectangular cards. Pierce through the wheel centres with a pencil to mark holes in the rectangular cards. Repeat for both sides.

Two hands are shown interacting with a paper color wheel and a separate paper handle on a light wooden surface. The color wheel is white with circular sections of translucent cellophane in various colors, including red, blue, green, purple, orange, and yellow. A blue pencil is being used to spin the color wheel. The handle piece is white and arrow-shaped with a circular hole cut out, designed to be attached to the color wheel. This setup appears to be part of a craft project or educational tool related to color theory and mixing.

Step 12

Assemble the glasses in this order: rectangular card-wheel-rectangular card. Secure with split pins through the holes made in step 10. Repeat for the other side.

Two hands assemble a paper color wheel device on a light wooden table. Two circular color wheels, made of white paper with translucent colored cellophane sections, are visible. The colors include red, yellow, green, blue, purple, and orange. The hands are folding and attaching a white paper handle to one of the wheels. The handle has a circular viewing hole cut out. This image likely depicts the construction of a simple color mixing toy or educational aid.

Step 13

Cut two 30cm x 4cm strips of card and fold them 2cm from the right end as shown.

Two identical bright yellow paper strips lie horizontally on a light wood-grained surface. Each strip has a short, dashed, vertical line near its right end, indicating a fold or cut line. These strips likely represent components of a paper craft project.

Step 14

Attach the folded strips to the glasses using double-sided tape.

Two hands work on a paper craft project on a light wooden surface. A long, bright yellow strip of paper is being positioned over a white paper construction. The white paper has circular cutouts revealing translucent colored cellophane underneath in red, blue, green, purple, and orange. The yellow strip appears to be part of a mechanism or handle for the color wheels. This image likely depicts the creation of a color-mixing toy or learning tool.

Step 15

Have someone help measure the glasses around your head, marking the correct position. Ensure the glasses sit properly in front of your eyes.

Two hands are constructing a paper craft on a light wooden background. A folded piece of bright yellow paper is being marked with a blue pencil. Partially visible beneath the yellow paper are two white paper color wheels with translucent colored cellophane circles. The colors visible include purple, orange, and bits of green and blue. The pencil is drawing a line, likely a cutting or folding guide, on the yellow paper, which appears to be a handle or mechanism for the color wheels.

Step 16

Cut a 2cm slit from bottom to top on the left strip at the marked point, and from top to bottom on the right strip. Slot them together as shown to complete your rainbow vision spectacles.

Two hands manipulate pieces of a paper craft on a light wooden surface. They are working with bright yellow strips of paper, one of which is folded. A portion of a white paper circle with a section of green cellophane is visible beneath the yellow strips. Small pencil marks are evident on the yellow paper, likely indicating fold or cut lines. The hands are in the process of assembling or adjusting the yellow components, which appear to be a handle or mechanism for a color wheel device.

Step 17

Put on your glasses and rotate the wheels to experience different colour worlds!

Two hands hold a completed paper color wheel device against a light wooden background. The device consists of two circular color wheels connected by a white paper handle. Each wheel has segments of translucent colored cellophane in red, yellow, green, blue, purple, and peach/orange. The handle has two red circles visible, suggesting a mechanism for viewing color combinations. A small brad or fastener is visible at the center point where the handle joins each wheel. This image showcases the finished color-mixing tool.

The Science Behind It:

The sunlight (white light) we see daily is actually composed of seven colours: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet, together called the visible spectrum. When white light passes through water droplets or other objects, it refracts and separates into different colours, like a rainbow. By wearing rainbow vision spectacles, your eyes filter out certain colours, allowing you to see different light and colour changes.

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