One of my recent projects for a quiet, take-along activity for my 3 year old has been making magnetic paper dolls. Well, actually they aren't exactly dolls, they are bears. I used the Berenstain Bears Dress Up Dolls available to print for free here. I loved that there are lots of clothing options and items (like a boat, ball, bat, etc. to go with the themed clothes. We found this thin metal box in a closet, which has made this a great church or car activity.
Here's what I did to make out magnetic dolls:
1. I printed off the dress ups at 150% their normal size. (I just used regular paper, but I would recommend card stock if you have it around.) I just used Brother and Sister Bear, although Ma and Pa bear are available too.
2. I cut out the dolls and glued them onto sheets of magnet from ad magnets I picked up at a health fair and that came with our phone book.
3. I covered the tops with contact paper, then cut out each piece.
4. Isaac played with them. I showed him the general idea, and he took it from there. He loved that if he held the magnets a little off the board, they would still stick to it.
Even if you don't have a magnet board, these would be fun to use on the fridge!
