Paper dolls!

{ Updated, from the archives }

Today everyone wanted to play a game that Audra (5) didn't want to play, but she was content doing something else, by herself, just as long as I came up with the ideas.  ;)  I suggested that she could get out some paper dolls, to which she said, "Can you draw me some?"

It was then that I remembered these:



Four years ago we went on a family vacation (that included several hours in the van) so I put together some travel games and these coloring books for the kids.

The doll pattern (above) is Sarah's from The Small Object, so I can take no credit for it. You can find it here.  I just added some details (hair, bows and outfits) to her original pattern to make more dolls.

I'm so grateful to have found Ginny's post at Small Things~ for the coloring book idea, and for the idea for the scaled-down version of the doll in order to create your own doll.



When Audra asked today if I could draw some paper dolls, this was what I thought of, and I was trying to remember if I still had any master copies of these... (I tend to save things like this), and mentioned to Ella, "Honey, do you remember those coloring books with dolls that we colored for vacation that one year?"   She was up in a jiffy and came back with some blank ones (from that trip) that she hadn't completed.  Audra spent HOURS drawing these (and cutting them out) today.

Voila:  Paper dolls!

twins!  :)

Then Isaac wanted to photocopy some pages and do some, too:

Ella was working on them later tonight.  (And if I can sneak in some time tomorrow, I'm going to do some myself!) 

"To pack" list for young children

We have a few trips we're taking this summer, and in an effort to be more efficient, I made a "to pack" list for each of the kids, specifically thinking of the non-readers in our home.


Actually, I made a master list. That way, I can keep the master list and just make photocopies for when we need to use this list again! I left a blank line for them to fill in their name and blank lines so that I can fill in the quantity of items they will need to pack.

(I think they'll think this is a fun game when it comes time to pack!)

More travel ideas

Thank you for the travel/snack ideas! I'm definitely going to use some of them!

I've been working on the coloring books and having all sorts of fun. The doll pattern is Sarah's from The Small Object, so I can take no credit for it. You can find it here. I've just added hair, bows and outfits to her original pattern. I'm so grateful to have found Ginny's post at Small Things~ for the coloring book idea, and for the idea for the scaled-down version of the doll in order to create your own doll.


I think Ella is going to love this. And if she doesn't, I will be happy to take over. ;)


I also put together a Travel Scavenger Hunt for the kids to do. I'm going to sew the pages into little books, similar to the doll books above.


Still to do:

>Mark is going to print out some pages of small, blank football helmets for the boys, which I will then sew into a book for them, so that they can work on filling in team logos on the helmets while Ella works on her dolls.

>I'm going to make a little Word Game book for Ella to do. With word games like this one: I'll write "The Oregon Coast" (or some other such phrase/set of words) at the top of the page and then Ella can think up as many smaller words that come from that set of letters. I used to love that game when I was younger.

>I'm also going to make several blank books for the kids to color in/create their own games.

Oh! Here's a great link I found yesterday for Classic Road-Trip Games.

Travel ideas for kids

We leave for vacation (the ocean! yay!) in mere days. I can't wait.

I have considerably lowered my prepping-for-vacation expectations. Usually by this time I would be somewhat packed, the laundry would be well on it's way for all the packing that is taking place, and at the VERY least, I would have my Gigantic List, which usually has columns for "To Do", "To Pack" and "To Buy"~ all to be checked off before we leave.

I told Mark last night that those things aren't even on my radar this year. On Saturday I do plan to have the kids pack some things, and I usually make a list on the dry erase board for them. This photo is from last year:


This year I'll just be happy if by Monday morning all seven of us are in the van with some clothes packed and directions in hand. Oh, and the promise of a stop at Starbucks on the way out of town. :)

I do have some fun things for the kids. I bought each of them a bucket/shovel set at the dollar store last night, and I'm going to "stuff" those with some goodies (snacks, crayons, coloring books, and this customized coloring book idea that I saw yesterday and am already working on for the older kids). I'm going to fill their buckets on Sunday night and then put them in the van so that when they go to climb into their seats Monday morning for the long drive, their buckets will be waiting on their seats.

I will also have an arsenal of snacks and ideas at my disposal for the times they are getting sick of the drive.

My idea list:

>the ABC game For Isaias, I'm going to write out the alphabet for him to have in hand so that he can find the letters and play along with us.
>the license plate game I'm going to print this map out for the kids to fill in as we find plates from various states.
>read-alouds
>music sing-along or listening to a CD

Last year Mark had the brilliant idea of having the kids find road signs like these:

We gave each of the kids a page filled with blank white "signs", and then gave them each a pencil and a yellow crayon. We were all looking for them, and when we'd spot one, they'd each sketch them on their page. [This works best if you're not on the interstate for most or all of your trip.]

I would love to hear about the various games/activities you do with your kids on road trips!