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How to Make Paper Toys

by Ann Hudson

  • Overview

    So many of today's toys are sophisticated and high-tech, but it's possible to make a simple toy that a child will enjoy out of sturdy paper. Kids can participate in making their own toys. Created from very simple craft materials, these toys can be individualized to cater to a child's specific hobbies or areas of interest. Since tracing, cutting and coloring are involved, a child's fine-motor skills will benefit from making this paper toy.

  • Cut-Out Toys

 

  • Step 1

    Select a simple picture of an animal, figure or object such as a car or doll from a coloring book.

  • Step 2

    Lay a piece of tracing paper over the coloring book picture and secure the tracing paper at all four corners with paper clips.

  • Step 3

    Trace the picture onto the tracing paper using the pencil.

  • Step 4

    Cut out the picture that you just traced onto the tracing paper.

  • Step 5

    Use this tracing as a pattern and draw the outline of the picture on the bottom half of the piece of card stock. The card stock should be turned in a portrait format.

  • Step 6

    To draw in the details inside of the basic outline, tape the tracing paper drawing to a window during daylight hours. Place the card stock over top of the tracing paper, lining up the outlines on both the tracing paper and the card stock. Tape the card stock to the window and trace the inside detail of tracing paper pattern on the card stock. The light coming through the window will make the lines on the tracing paper visible so that they can be traced on the card stock.

  • Step 7

    Remove the card stock and the tracing paper from the window carefully. Turn the tracing paper pattern over and place it upside down in the top half of the card stock. Make sure that the edge of the pattern touches the top edge of the drawing that you have already done on the card stock. For example, if you are making a paper figure of a doll, the final drawing will look like two dolls, one right side up and one upside down and joined at the top of the head. Trace this second outline and add inner details using natural window light in the same manner as before, but this time with the tracing paper pattern turned upside down.

  • Step 8

    Color the figure with crayons and cut it out, making sure that both sides of the figure remain connected.

  • Step 9

    Fold the card stock where the two sides of the figure meet. The figure will now have two full-color sides and will stand on its own.

  • Dolls

    • Step 1

      Use natural light as a tracing tool to create personalized paper dolls. Tape a head-to-toe photograph of the child who will play with the paper dolls to a window during daylight hours. The child should be wearing a simple shirt and shorts.

    • Step 2

      Tape a piece of white card stock over top of the photograph. Trace the basic outline of the child's body, head, hair, clothing and features.

    • Step 3

      Remove the card stock and photograph from the window. Color the traced figure and cut it out.

    • Step 4

      Tape the cut-out paper doll in the window and tape a piece of white multipurpose paper over the doll. Draw an outfit of clothing that you would like for the paper doll to wear, using the original paper figure as a guideline for the correct size and positioning of the clothing. Draw small square tabs at the shoulders, legs and arms of the clothing. These will be used later to attach the clothing to the card stock paper doll.

    • Step 5

      Remove the card stock and the paper from the window. Color and cut out the paper clothing. Repeat this process to create as many outfits for your paper doll as you like.

  • Pinwheel

    • Step 1

      Use the pencil to place a dot in the center of the construction paper square.

    • Step 2

      Draw a line from each corner to the dot in the center or the square.

    • Step 3

      Make four cuts, using the lines that you just drew as guides. Stop about 1/4 inch away from the dot with each cut. After cutting, you will have eight places where the paper comes to a point.

    • Step 4

      Bring every other point to the center dot and push the straight pin through all five layers of paper.

    • Step 5

      Push the straight pin through the cardboard circle and then into the side of the pencil eraser. The pinwheel should now spin freely.
    • 1
    • Coloring book Tracing paper Four paper clips 11- by 17-inch piece of white card stock, two pieces Several sheets of white multipurpose paper Pencil with an eraser at the top Straight pin 6-inch by 6-inch square of construction paper Cardboard circle, 1/2 inch in diameter Scissors Crayons
    • Coloring book
    • Tracing paper
    • Four paper clips
    • 11- by 17-inch piece of white card stock, two pieces
    • Several sheets of white multipurpose paper
    • Pencil with an eraser at the top
    • Straight pin
    • 6-inch by 6-inch square of construction paper
    • Cardboard circle, 1/2 inch in diameter
    • Scissors
    • Crayons
    • If you don't have a photograph of the child for whom you wish to make paper dolls, trace a drawing from a coloring book or comic strip or trace a figure from a catalog or magazine.
    • If you don't have a photograph of the child for whom you wish to make paper dolls, trace a drawing from a coloring book or comic strip or trace a figure from a catalog or magazine.
    • Allow for movement as you push the straight pin into the side of the eraser when making a pinwheel. If the pin is pushed too far into the eraser, the pinwheel will not spin.
    • Allow for movement as you push the straight pin into the side of the eraser when making a pinwheel. If the pin is pushed too far into the eraser, the pinwheel will not spin.

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