What better way to celebrate Halloween than with thaumatropes, mesmerizingly spooky Halloween STEAM project! Kids can make their own Halloween thaumatropes to play tricks of perception in order to get some yummy treats!
Making thaumatropes teaches kids about the science of "persistence of vision" and now we have a fun Halloween holiday version to share with you. They are easy to make using our free printable Halloween thaumatrope template coloring page and a few common household items.
How to Make Halloween Thaumatropes
The instructions for making this quick Halloween STEAM project are super easy!
Materials Needed:
- Halloween thaumatrope coloring page. Download and print yours: (*by clicking on the following link you agree to our terms of service* see end of post for details) GET IT HERE.
- Paper. Heavy weight paper works best, but regular paper is fine, too.
- Coloring implements like colored pencils, markers or crayons.
- Tape. Double stick tape works best.
- Stick. You can use straws, chopsticks, pencils, even a small, thin stick from the yard.
Step by Step Instructions:
Print out the coloring page on heavy weight paper.
Color as desired and cut out the circles.
Adhere double stick tape to each side of the straw.
Place one circle face down and press down taped side of straw so the circle sticks.
Carefully place second circle onto the second taped side of straw so illustrations are aligned.
Put straw between flat palms and roll back and forth as fast as possible.
Keep your eyes on the illustration. What do you see? One spider or two? A plain pumpkin or a jack o'lantern? A sleeping bat or a flying bat? A moon or a witch flying across the moon?
Watch our video of how we made thaumatrops - the non-Halloween version!
Prepare for Halloween
Halloween thaumatropes are a unique idea for your pre-trick-or-treat party. Have the coloring page thaumatrope template and supplies available as a craft activity for kids either at an at home, at school, or library Halloween event.
Got a STEM class or need a Halloween-themed time filler for your classroom? Learn all about the science behind thaumatropes with the kids!
Pair our Halloween thaumatrope with other Halloween coloring page activities. Try these out for cute and spooky fun:
About the Creator
Melanie Hope Greenberg is an award winning author and illustrator of more than 15 children’s books. Her cheerful, vibrant illustrations can be found in books such as Good Morning, Digger, Down in the Subway and A City Is. Her iconic book, Mermaids on Parade, was selected as a Bank Street Best Book, and for the Texas Reading Club and PBS Kids Summer Reading Lists.
Melanie loves to make school visits where she shares her writing and illustrating process. Learn more at her website.
Her classic book, Aunt Lilly’s Laundromat, has recently been re-published in paperback. The book takes place in Melanie’s neighborhood laundromat on Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights.
“Succeeds as a celebration of fond memory and honest labor.” –Publisher’s Weekly.
*Terms of Service: this coloring page is used with permission from Melanie Hope Greenberg and is for non-commercial use ONLY. You many print out as many copies as you like for personal, library or classroom use. If you would like to share this coloring page, you MUST link to this blog page. It is expressly forbidden to link directly to the coloring page pdf file.
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