DIYTV Premiere #TVWithATwist - Fun at-home activities for Kids.

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DIYTV Premiere #TVWithATwist!

Build a cardboard "TV" and make a hand-cranked rotating scene that plays a short stop-motion-style animation using drawings and recycled materials.

Table of contents

Step-by-step guide to build a cardboard TV and make a hand-cranked rotating stop-motion scene

0:00/0:00

Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

The Story Behind S01E04 - Home Improvement

What you need

Cardboard box or large cardboard sheet, ruler, pencil, scissors, tape, glue stick, colouring materials, paper or scrap paper, drinking straws or short cardboard tubes, wooden skewer or pencil, bottle cap or large button, recycled small scraps for props, paper fasteners or tape for attaching, adult supervision required

Step 1

Choose a box or a flat piece of cardboard and cut out a rectangular window to make the TV screen.

Step 2

Use a pencil and colouring materials to draw and decorate a fun TV frame around the screen opening.

Step 3

Mark two holes on opposite side panels at the same height where the axle will go.

Step 4

Carefully cut the marked holes and push drinking straws through them to make axle supports and tape the straws in place.

Step 5

Cut a cardboard circle about the size of your screen height to become the rotating wheel.

Step 6

Cut 6 small rectangular scene cards from paper and draw a simple step-by-step picture on each card to show motion.

Step 7

Glue or tape recycled small props onto the scene cards to add details and depth.

Step 8

Evenly attach the scene cards around the edge of the cardboard wheel so they face outward toward the TV screen.

Step 9

Slide a wooden skewer or pencil through the straws and then through the center of the wheel to mount the wheel on the axle.

Step 10

Tape a bottle cap or large button to the end of the skewer or pencil to make a hand crank.

Step 11

Turn the crank slowly while looking through the screen and adjust card spacing or prop angle until the pictures create a smooth stop-motion-style animation.

Step 12

Take a photo or video of your finished DIYTV Premiere and share your creation on DIY.org

Help!?

What can we use instead of drinking straws, a wooden skewer, or a bottle cap if we can't find them?

If you don't have drinking straws, a wooden skewer, or a bottle cap, substitute glued rolled cardboard or short paper-towel-tube sections as axle supports, use a pencil or chopstick for the skewer, and tape on a large button or thick coin instead of the bottle cap when assembling the axle and crank.

My cardboard wheel won't spin smoothly — what should I check or fix?

If the wheel sticks or wobbles when you turn the crank, slightly widen the marked holes in the side panels, make sure the straws are taped straight and level, trim or sand the skewer/pencil ends, and re-center the cardboard wheel so the scene cards don't rub the TV screen opening.

How can I adapt this DIYTV activity for different ages?

For ages 3–5 have an adult cut the screen and holes and use a larger wheel with 3 big scene cards and pre-glued recycled props, for ages 6–9 let kids draw the TV frame and attach 6 cards themselves, and for ages 10+ challenge them to create finer artwork, mount the skewer themselves, or motorize the crank with a small hobby motor.

How can we extend or personalize our DIYTV Premiere after finishing the basic version?

To extend the project, decorate the TV frame with patterned paper or fabric, add a battery LED tea light behind the screen for backlighting, increase the number of scene cards or make double-sided wheels for longer animations, and record frame-by-frame stop-motion video on a phone while adjusting prop angles for smoother motion.

Watch videos on how to build a cardboard TV and make a hand-cranked rotating stop-motion scene

0:00/0:00

Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

BINGE 2 HOURS of the Greatest Episodes | Home Town | HGTV

3 Videos

Facts about stop-motion animation and cardboard crafts

🎬 Stop-motion started in the late 1800s — tiny changes between photos make toys and drawings look like they're moving!

🔁 The zoetrope is a spinning drum of pictures invented in the 1830s that makes still images appear to move when you peek through its slits.

🎡 The praxinoscope upgraded the zoetrope by using mirrors so the animation looked brighter and steadier while it spun.

📦 Cardboard's fluted inner layer gives it surprising strength, which is why it's perfect for building a sturdy DIY TV frame and crank mechanism.

✏️ Hand-made stop-motion looks great with only about 8–12 frames per second, so fewer drawings can still create smooth, charming motion.

How do you make the DIYTV Premiere #TVWithATwist hand-cranked animation?

Start by cutting a rectangular “screen” window in a sturdy cardboard box to make the TV frame. Build a rotating drum from a small cardboard tube or rolled cardboard discs on a skewer or dowel axle and mount it inside the box on straw or cardboard bearings. Tape or glue a sequence of small drawings around the drum’s circumference. Attach a simple crank to the axle. Turn the crank to rotate the scene; optionally capture frames with a phone to refine a stop-motion clip.

What materials do I need for the DIYTV Premiere activity?

You’ll need a medium cardboard box, scrap cardboard, pencil, ruler, scissors and a craft knife (adult use), tape and strong glue or hot glue, a wooden skewer or thin dowel for the axle, straws or paper rolls for bearings, paper for sequential drawings, markers or crayons, recycled small props (bottle caps, fabric scraps), a clothespin or bead for a crank handle, and optionally a smartphone to photograph the animation.

What ages is the DIYTV Premiere #TVWithATwist suitable for?

This project suits ages 5–12: younger children (5–7) will enjoy decorating and making drawings with close adult help for cutting and gluing; elementary kids (8–10) can assemble the drum and crank with supervision; older kids and teens (11–15) can design more complex sequences and film stop-motion. Supervision is recommended for cutting, hot glue, and small parts to ensure safety for all ages.

What are the benefits of making a hand-cranked cardboard TV animation?

Building this DIY TV boosts creativity, sequencing skills, and fine motor development as kids plan and draw frames. It teaches basic physics (axles, bearings) and problem-solving while promoting recycling and resourcefulness. Working together improves communication and storytelling. The activity is low-cost and adaptable, letting children iterate quickly and learn patience from making smooth rotations or refining drawings for clearer animation.

Ready to create?

All Activities

DIYTV Premiere #TVWithATwist!

Build a cardboard "TV" and make a hand-cranked rotating scene that plays a short stop-motion-style animation using drawings and recycled materials.

Table of contents

Step-by-step guide to build a cardboard TV and make a hand-cranked rotating stop-motion scene

0:00/0:00

Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

The Story Behind S01E04 - Home Improvement

What you need

Step 1

Choose a box or a flat piece of cardboard and cut out a rectangular window to make the TV screen.

Step 2

Use a pencil and colouring materials to draw and decorate a fun TV frame around the screen opening.

Step 3

Mark two holes on opposite side panels at the same height where the axle will go.

Step 4

Carefully cut the marked holes and push drinking straws through them to make axle supports and tape the straws in place.

Step 5

Cut a cardboard circle about the size of your screen height to become the rotating wheel.

Step 6

Cut 6 small rectangular scene cards from paper and draw a simple step-by-step picture on each card to show motion.

Step 7

Glue or tape recycled small props onto the scene cards to add details and depth.

Step 8

Evenly attach the scene cards around the edge of the cardboard wheel so they face outward toward the TV screen.

Step 9

Slide a wooden skewer or pencil through the straws and then through the center of the wheel to mount the wheel on the axle.

Step 10

Tape a bottle cap or large button to the end of the skewer or pencil to make a hand crank.

Step 11

Turn the crank slowly while looking through the screen and adjust card spacing or prop angle until the pictures create a smooth stop-motion-style animation.

Step 12

Take a photo or video of your finished DIYTV Premiere and share your creation on DIY.org

Help!?

What can we use instead of drinking straws, a wooden skewer, or a bottle cap if we can't find them?

My cardboard wheel won't spin smoothly — what should I check or fix?

How can I adapt this DIYTV activity for different ages?

How can we extend or personalize our DIYTV Premiere after finishing the basic version?

Watch videos on how to build a cardboard TV and make a hand-cranked rotating stop-motion scene

0:00/0:00

Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

BINGE 2 HOURS of the Greatest Episodes | Home Town | HGTV

3 Videos

Facts about stop-motion animation and cardboard crafts

🎬 Stop-motion started in the late 1800s — tiny changes between photos make toys and drawings look like they're moving!

🔁 The zoetrope is a spinning drum of pictures invented in the 1830s that makes still images appear to move when you peek through its slits.

🎡 The praxinoscope upgraded the zoetrope by using mirrors so the animation looked brighter and steadier while it spun.

📦 Cardboard's fluted inner layer gives it surprising strength, which is why it's perfect for building a sturdy DIY TV frame and crank mechanism.

✏️ Hand-made stop-motion looks great with only about 8–12 frames per second, so fewer drawings can still create smooth, charming motion.