COULD THE END BE NEAR?

Say it isn’t so! I recently saw an ad on T.V. for a roll of toilet paper that didn’t have the cardboard tube in the center. I guess the reason for this is to make toilet paper more ecologically friendly. Well, if this trend continues, and heaven forbid spreads to wrapping paper and paper towel tubes, I could be put out of business! You see, I rely on those inconsequential cardboard tubes as a cheap and readily available art supply for many of the crafts in my art activity books. If cardboard tubes disappear altogether, then how would kids be able to make: circle prints (dip one end of the tube in paint and print on paper), an Aborigine rain stick (fill the tube with beans and tape both ends), a viewfinder (tape colored cellophane over one end of the tube), or a snake (cut slits in the top half of the tube then draw eyes and glue on a red paper tongue)? So this is a call to arms. Crafters unite against the invasion of do-good ecologists who dare to take away our freedom to be creative without spending a dime. In the meantime, here’s how to make a toilet paper tube elephant*

Here’s What You Need:

Toilet paper tube

Thin cardboard

Construction paper (gray if possible)

Wiggly eyes (optional)

Transparent tape

Marker (black)

Child safety scissors

Here’s What You Do: 

1. Cut out elephant’s ears and tusks from cardboard. To make the trunk, roll gray construction paper into a narrow tube about 3 ½ inches (8.5 cm) long. Tape to hold.

2. Ask a grown-up to cut slits inside of tube. Insert elephant ears on sides of toilet paper tube using slits. Staple trunk onto front of tube. Then, tape tusks into place.

3. Use markers to draw on elephant’s wrinkles and eyes.

*This craft can be found in my book, ALPHABET ART: WITH A-Z ANIMAL ART & FINGERPLAYS (Williamson Little Hands Series)