This session is a step or two on from Stickman, although he's in here too if you want to make him but these stick doll characters are both beautiful & achievable by all with a little help & guidance. With very few materials & a lovely family walk to collect the sticks you *need, you can have a wonderful day, or more if you want, of crafting & creating together. NB *always collect spares as some may not be strong enough to withstand the process. Remember that these dolls are made with sticks and therefore will only be as strong as the sticks they are made with. These dolls are wonderful for play, storytelling & role play - happy making. Items required:
Y-Sticks - Remember larger ones are easier to work with although they may take more time.
Yarn/Sting/Twine - needed to hold the basic structure together & wrap the figures. Use whatever oddments you have to use up first. Use natural yarns where possible to be better for our environment. You can also wraps with thin strips of fabric as an alternative.
Scissors
Natural Clay - a small ball, enough to make the head(s) is needed. You could use plasticine or similar as an alternative.
Felt Squares/Fabric Squares - We've used these to make the trousers/skirts & you could also use it for dresses, capes, hats etc. Use old/holey clothing as scrap fabric if you don't have any felt. Aim to look for what you already have to use before purchasing. Or you could just wrap the legs with the yarn you have if you don't have any of these.
Optionals: Buttons/beads - you might like to add some of these to the clothing to make them more elaborate. Needle & Thread - needed for the sewing the beads etc on & sometimes they can be helpful if you need to get fabric to hold together or you could also use... Craft Glue - but be prepared to have to give it drying time too! Ruler - to measure out your fabric square. #art #craft #familyactivity #childrensactivity #kidsactivity #familytime #positivewellbeing #familyfun #walking #sticks #stickman #stickpeople #characters #dolls #puppets #storytelling #artdolls
Whilst using this resource to inspire learning, know you are helping you and your family's wellbeing by:
1) Get Active - Get out on a walk with your family to look for some Y sticks to bring home to create with.
2) Keep Learning - Many of us just see 'a stick', but by engaging our curiosity and looking a little closer we can learn much about the trees in our local areas simply by the textures & ends of our sticks. Finding sticks & ways in which to give them purpose, like our ancestors would have, gives us an opportunity to think and learn about history too.
3) Be Mindful- Only take what you need from the woodland floor - many may be bugs homes - so if you have any left over at the end of your creative time, return them to nature. Take the time to explain this to your children.
4) Practice Kindness- Depending on your family, know that you may need to prepare some materials beforehand and give patient help if you have younger children, respond with kindness to their needs. Also know that this is a project that may take some time (even days if working in short periods with children) to complete, encouraging seeing something through is admirable and there is certainly a sense of achievement that comes with completing something that has taken time, but remember what is really important here: the fact that you worked together as a family and focused and worked towards something! Be kind with yourselves if they don't manage to complete it or jump in and help to make sure it does.
5) Think Community - If you are making this as a project, perhaps it is something that you can create together with your family & those that you live with as a joint project where each of you can contribute towards its completion. These characterful stick doll people are beautiful gifts if you can bear to part with your creations. Post your beautiful outcomes and share any tips in the comments below.
Music: https://www.bensound.com