Kid-Made Homemade Paper Dolls

Hours of free fun - colored pencils, scrap paper, and scissors!

Notice the minion costume from Despicable Me? My kids are so funny!

 Okay, so the photos aren't fabulous, but my 12 year old took them.  The girls found some paper dolls I made when I was a kid and got inspired to make their own.  This project has entertained them for YEARS.  They even make paper dolls and outfits as birthday gifts for their friends. (They really love to show their love with crafts and pictures.)

We cut a doll out of cardboard.  Initially I would draw the doll and cut it for them, but recently they have graduated to making their own people/dolls.  Once the first one is made ALL dolls need to be traced from that one.  Then the clothes will fit all the dolls in that "set."

To make clothes, the girls trace the cardboard doll.  In the past we have had a doll just for tracing, as the neck always gets bent up and the head rips off.  But this week my new laminator came from Amazon!!! It's pretty sad how excited this makes me!  I laminated each of the dolls and cut close to the bodies.  Then they are able to make clothes by tracing the doll without the doll falling apart.

 So these are the dolls that started it all - they are over 15 years old.  I'm totally embarassed by some of these styles - wow, the things I thought would be cool to wear, eek, shudder. :)

 I don't know if you can tell from these photos, but there is no shortage of outfit ideas.  Once the dress, school clothes, pjs, play clothes, etc. are made they get creative.  Above is a pet giraffe and a matching giraffe costume for their doll.

One of the dolls below is all bundled up in the purple sleeping bag Julia made.  They also make pets and tons of accessories such as food (pizza, apples, glass of milk, etc.), furniture, camping gear, school books, etc.  This is such a fun project if you've got a creative kiddo. Plus, one of my daughters considers herself quite the fashionista so really gets elaborate and creative with the clothes.  A nice quiet activity for car rides, church, etc.  Even my son has a doll and helps color the clothes the girls make for it.

Warning: There are paper clippings all over when they cut out the clothes.  Or maybe that's just my house.  Nothing a broom can't take care of!