Gather your supplies:
wooden peg dolls //Can be found in the woodworking section of Joann's
kid friendly paint and brushes// we are using Crayola kids washable paint
(I recommend using a more permanent acrylic paint if kids are not involved, because though this paint is nontoxic and cleans up easily, it will come off if the dolls get wet)
paper plates// to help centralize the mess
non-toxic top coat// I didn't use one, as we just used what we had on hand, but I would definitely recommend one to help preserve your work.
Let your kiddos go to town! Flora was doing good at first but then once she realized how *yummy* the paint was and sucked her doll dry, I kicked her out of the doll painting party,haha. Evelyn insisted on painting "Daddy" which I thought was ADORABLE. With all the green swirls, it looks like she painted him in his Air Force uniform ;)
I painted a mini me, Evelyn and Flora to accompany her Daddy doll. i'm no painter but my mediocre work seemed to please Miss Evelyn :) She just loves these little dolls! She has been playing with them almost non-stop since we made them. She carries them around with her in a sock (silly girl) or just in her little hands. She sits them down next to her when she watches her morning cartoon and during snack time. Its very cute to see these little homemade toys become a favorite while all her other {much more expensive} toys stay in their bins. Isn't that how it usually goes?
And now this little doll 'shack' we just made on a whim that evening to house her dolls, so I didn't get any 'how-to' photos for y'all. but its real easy and fun...
Gather Your Supplies:
old ramen box// or any box you think might work
scissors
Elmer's white glue
fabric // 'wallpaper'
felt // 'carpet'
hot glue
lace fabric// 'curtains'
paint
- Cut two squares out of the bottom of your box for the windows
- Have daughter smother the inside of the box with glue as you cut the fabric pieces to fit the two sides and 'window wall' (make sure you cut out the window holes in the fabric)
- Press the fabric pieces in place. TA-DA! Walls are done.
- Cut the felt to fit the 'floor' side of the box as your little girl puts glue in the box
- Press the felt into place. TA-DA! Floor done.
- Hot glue two small squares of lace fabric over the holes to make window curtains.
- Using whatever color paint your girl picked out, finger paint the outside of the house together.
- Let dry and ENJOY!
I didn't bother to make furniture or get any more intricate then this as Evelyn is 2 and i know she would either destroy or lose anything small enough to fit in there. keeping it simple at this age is best anyways, as the more "open-ended" the toy is, the more opportunity for little ones to use their imagination :)
Evelyn likes to pop the 'Daddy' doll through the window and say, "Daddy's home!" then all the dolls hug and kiss. Its very cute. She even put puzzle pieces in there for when "mommy cooking and babies eat"
xo
Amanda
