Summer is here and so is the time to spend some time on our favorite watches. This got us into an idea of making a DIY projector from a shoebox. The main thought behind doing this was to make bedtime more fun, maybe with a bedtime story or a fun watch. The project can easily be done using a smartphone, shoebox, magnifying glass and some office supplies.

What You’ll Need:

Magnifying Glass
Cardboard
Masking tape
Xacto knife
Smartphone
Hot glue gun
Ruler
Shoebox
Pushpins

Directions:

1. Take a shoe box and place your magnifying glass at the center and use a pencil to trace around it. You can use an xacto knife and a compass to cut off an exact hole. Your magnifying glass will fit perfectly if properly executed.

2. Use tape and glue gun to seal the areas around the magnifying glass.

3. Now, for the stand that will hold your phone –we will use a cardboard. Measure the cardboard and cut it so that it fits inside of the shoebox. Use pushpins to hold it.

4. Then mount your phone at the center of your stand.

5. Set your phone to the highest brightness then lock your screen. When you play a video, the screen should be upside down. The reason behind this according to science is that the lens will invert the image that will be projected on the wall.

6. Now, we’re almost done – move your phone to the right distance until you gain the exact focus and the image is clear to watch. Remember to keep the room dark.

Optional: Color the inside of the box with black and decorate it the way you want it.