A cardboard tube. A handful of markers. One toddler's full attention.
In a short clip posted by Ashley (@ashbeveridge), her young daughter sits at a small kitchen table already holding a used paper towel roll. Over the next few moments, she transforms it into something brand new — a colorful pretend telescope made entirely from household items.
@mkjeveou1 This easy diy toddler activity kept my little one busy while I drank my morning coffee. It only took a paper towel tube, some markers, and a few stickers! She had the best time decorating her own telescope and pretending to be a pirate. Sometimes the best indoor fun is often mess free, budget friendly, and packed with fine motor skill practice 🏴☠️✨ #creatorsearchinsights #toddleractivities #messfreeplay #indoorfun #finemotorfun #diyforkids ♬ Pink Friday Girls - Nicki Minaj
The scoop
Ashley starts by handing her daughter a small bunch of markers. The toddler begins coloring the roll, carefully adding lines and squiggles in different shades. A moment later, a pack of stickers appears. Her daughter chooses a sticker sheet and begins covering the roll.
It's a simple repurposing activity that turns an everyday item into something fun and personalized. No extra tools, no prep work, and no mess. The best part comes at the end, when the child lifts her decorated tube and peeks through it like a telescope — fully absorbed in her own imagination.
"This easy DIY toddler activity kept my little one busy while I drank my morning coffee," Ashley wrote in the video caption. "She had the best time decorating her own telescope and pretending to be a pirate."
How it's helping
This type of reuse helps reduce household waste and saves families from spending money on single-use toys or crafts. Cardboard tubes from paper towels usually end up in the trash or recycling bin. Repurposing them into an activity stretches their use and helps keep items out of landfills and oceans just a little longer.
Instead of buying new toys or craft kits, parents can repurpose packaging and supplies they already have at home — a zero-cost hack that cuts clutter and avoids unnecessary spending.
Knowing your recycling options helps families figure out what can be reused, donated, or tossed.
You can also make money by selling your old clothes instead of throwing them away.
The same goes for outdated electronics — many retailers now offer trade-in programs that pay you for old tech.
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Which of these factors would most effectively motivate you to recycle old clothes and electronics?
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Giving me money back 💰 Donate it. Sell it. Swap it for store credit. It's easier than ever to get rid of stuff you don't want responsibly and profitably — and you'll feel better knowing it's not creating pollution in a landfill.
What everyone's saying
People appreciated the creativity and simplicity of the project in the comments.
"So fun! My kids still do stuff like this and they range from 7–13 years old," one TikTok user said.
Another added, "I miss these days with the kids, they grow so fast."
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