Kendal Library Kaleida

Hypothesis: Kaleidoscopes are as cool in 2022, as they were in 1817.
Result: OH BOY! YES they’ve still got it! 😎

Child looking at large vertical screen showing kaleidoscope image of drawing.

We took our upgraded Cupboard Kaleida and Slow Water Tank to Kendal Library for a day of creative play.

Play

The last time we took our digital Kaleidoscope out and about children naturally started drawing to see what their creations looked like “Kaleido-ised”.

So for this outing we updated the cabinet allowing people to use buttons and dials to:

  • Show each segment in turn as a kaleidoscope pattern.
  • Animate the pattern, controlling the speed and direction.
  • Show a guide image to play with positioning - or get your fingers in the right place to make freaky starfish!

Group of grown-ups and children drawing and painting leaning over a table covered in sheets of paper, paints, pens and mirrors.

Two children one smiling at the camera, the other looking away, in front of a green tinted reflection shown on a screen in a grey cabinet.

Children and grown-ups sitting and kneeling around a table drawing on sheets of paper.

Eight kaleidoscope patterns ranging from trees and ladybirds to abstract colourful tile-like wonders.

Paper notes on a wall with written feedback like: Curious, interesting, Amazing. Absolutely entrancing! Fantastic - all adults and children loved exploring the effects. I would come back again and again.

More feedback written on paper on the wall. E.g. So Cool! Lovely.

Strange + Magical written in red pen