Craft at a glance

Time: 15 minutesDo not put a cord around a young child's neck; use a wrist loop only for older children with supervision, or skip the string.

Gather this

  • 2 clean cardboard tubes
  • Tape or child-safe glue
  • Crayons, paper or washable paint
  • Stickers
  • Optional short ribbon for a supervised wrist loop

Make it

  1. 1

    Place the tubes side by side and tape them together firmly.

  2. 2

    Wrap with paper or decorate the cardboard directly.

  3. 3

    Add a child's explorer name or favorite stickers.

  4. 4

    If appropriate, add a short supervised wrist loop; never use a long neck cord for young children.

  5. 5

    Make a five-item spotting list and begin the expedition.

Five things to spot

The list is the secret ingredient.

  • Something moving
  • Something smaller than a thumb
  • Three different colors
  • A sound you cannot see
  • Something shaped like a letter

Take it in the car

Use landmarks instead of tiny objects: a red sign, a bridge, a construction vehicle or a tall tree. The driver stays out of the game and focused on driving.