Twirling Picture Box

You will need: 6 empty paper towel rolls, 9 1/2″ x 12″ x 6″ deep box, paper, glue, scissors, X-acto knife, and pencil.

Cut flaps from top of box with scissors. Use open side for front of puzzle. Set on its end.

About 1 1/2″ in from front edge of upright side of box, trace end of cardboard roll six times, one below the other, with circles touching each other. Cut out circle tracings with knife, making one solid cutout, since all edges touch (see illustration). Prepare opposite side of box the same way.

Glue paper around each roll. Slip rolls through holes with 1″ extending through openings at each side of box for easy grip. Use all six rolls to make one funny face. On top roll, draw hair or hair and hat; second roll, eyebrows; third roll, eyes; fourth roll, nose; fifth roll, mouth; and bottom roll, chin. When you have finished first face, turn rolls just enough so that none of face can be seen then draw another face. You should be able to fit a third face on the rolls.

If you have drawn three different faces, you will have 729 possible face combinations! Mix up the rolls, and have a friend try to unscramble them back to one of your original drawings.

Illustrated by Doug Roy