Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Who Needs Real Toys?

This is my Savannah in her element: Princesses, dresses, art, cutting with real scissors, and playing pretend -- all wrapped up in one home-made toy. Homemade paper dolls have been the rave at our house the last two or three weeks. It all started with a lovely princess coloring book my mom bought for the girls in Disneyland last February. What started out as coloring with markers turned into - "mom, can you cut her out?" and, with newfound freedom, the princess were off on adventures. It didn't take long for me to realize I couldn't doctor them up with enough tape so out came the laminator and now they're durable for their adventures.
Here they are:















Savannah loves to draw and color and she's quite good for her age. Every day London's nap time becomes art central at our house.


She started out cutting them herself, but when Sleeping Beauty's arm was amputated, she only wanted me to do the cutting.


It makes me wonder . . . do my children need all the toys they have been collecting over the years? Heck, a homemade paper doll makes them as happy as any other toy. I think maybe more creativity should be encouraged and I will start buying books rather than toys. My girls are always up for a new book.

4 comments:

sista # 2 said...

Quite the artist! Back 'in the day' my mom played with paper dolls. Imagine that! I gave my kids poster boards & pens yesterday as they were just lying around watching a movie -they got creative real fast!
(cute post below too!!!) -Janae

Anonymous said...

Mandi, it is clear that they are my granddaughters. I loved paper dolls more than any toy. I even got so I made and designed their clothes. Maybe that was the start of my art work. So, Savannah is following in my footsteps. I love being a grandma! Cyndee

Anonymous said...

My girls love to play with paper dolls! I've never thought of cutting out coloring book characters, though. They would love that.

michelle said...

How cute! I remember when paper dolls where so popular. I wonder what ever happened. I love the fact that your little ones are making them. So fun!