DIY Pretend Play X-Rays

Whether your kids are learning all about doctors as community helpers or they’re simply fascinated by bones and the human body, looking at x-rays is a great way to incorporate a fun science lesson into your day. While having real x-rays would provide the best experience, that isn’t always possible.  These DIY pretend play x-rays make a great alternative and provide hours of fun for preschoolers and kindergartners.

Getting the Pretend Play X-Rays Ready

The first thing you’re going to want to do is gather up the supplies that you’ll need to make your own pretend play x-rays.  We used:

• Blue or black construction paper
• White crayons
• Clear contact paper
• Scissors

Making the Pretend Play X-Rays

When you have all of your supplies, give each child a sheet of construction paper and a white crayon.  Have them lay one hand on their paper while using the other to trace an outline with their crayon.  Younger children and those who need a little extra practice with pencil grasp may need a little help with this step.

These outlines don’t need to be perfect, but each child should end up with a decent hand shape to really get the full effect of an x-ray when they’re finished.

After your students have their outline, have them cut the hand out along the line they traced.

Finally, the adult in the group should laminate the negative space that is left behind after the students have finished cutting.  To laminate these, simply cut two sheets of contact paper to fit the construction paper, peel the backing from each, and sandwich the construction paper between the sticky sides of the contact paper.

When they’re done, hang your “x-rays” in a bright window so that the children can observe the light shining through the middle, brightening that section as it would bones on a real x-ray, while being blocked around the edges and discuss with them how this mimics real x-rays that they may see in their doctor’s office.

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