Handmade Praxinoscope

I spun the drum slowly and the little figures actually walked across the reflection, it felt like holding a tiny movie theater from 1877. My nephew ignored his tablet for a solid twenty minutes, which never happens.

The mirrors really do make the animation look smoother than I expected, way better than those flip books I had as a kid. Only thing is the drum spins a bit fast if you're not gentle, so it takes a few tries to get it right. Still, it's a nice little desk toy that guests always pick up.