Using simple materials from around the house, making a pinhole camera is an excellent educational activity for children and adults alike.
To make this homemade DIY pinhole camera, you’ll need the following items:
♥ Stiff black card
♥ Paper templates [Download link]
♥ Glue and black tape
♥ Scissors, craft knife and metal ruler
♥ Aluminium can
♥ Needle or pin
♥ Cork and a pair of pliers
♥ Fine emery or sandpaper
♥ Velcro strips
The pinhole camera not only introduces children and young people to the science of optics and how light can be manipulated to make images, it is also a great way to help instil a deeper understanding of the roots of digital technology.
And it doesn’t stop there – developing your pinhole camera photos has never been easier, with simple kitchen ingredients including mint, lemon, bicarbonate of soda and vitamin C tablets. For downloadable instructions and a full list of ingredients visit the Royal Institution website.
Dedicated to connecting people to the world of science and technology, the Royal Institution’s (RI) L’Oréal Young Scientist Centre (LYSC), was established to encourage children to take part in hands-on experiments in a state-of-the-art professional laboratory and spark a lifelong passion for science.