Nothing is more enchanting than dinosaurs and dragons. Children spend endless hours creating, coloring, and cutting these fun creatures. While kids spend countless hours on paper fun, making a real, stuffed dinosaur will provide even more fun, and will provide a type of real time learning that advances their skills and knowledge.
Not only are dinosaurs a fun craft for children, but they are also a great learning tool, and can serve as decoration pieces for play rooms, or bed room dressers. This is especially true when accompanied with clothing and accessories. Children can use them for endless play, but also for learning body parts, clothing, or learning to tie shoes.
Making this learning toy is easy. Just follow these simply instructions and parents and children will be their way to hours of fun. To begin the project select a pattern from the internet or a local craft shop. Decide if the toy will be small or large. Its often possible to make patterns larger or smaller using a copy machine.
Think about the materials available and colors. Choose a plain or multicolored soft fabric. When ready, place the template on material and begin cutting pieces of material in the same size pieces as the pattern. Make sure to go by the pattern and cut a front and back side using fabric scissors. Once cut, turn fabric to wrong side, and pin by edges.
Once they are pinned, begin sewing them together. Using a sewing machine sew 1/4 inch on the inside. Sewing by hand is also acceptable. Leave a space of 2 inches after sewing around the edges. In other words, leave space for turning the material, and also for stuffing. Turn the material inside out. Use a long pencil, pen, or crochet hook to push out the small curves of the dinosaur.
Begin stuffing the material with poly fill. Do not use large amounts of the fill all at once. This will clump and will result in lumps and air spaces. Take a small amount, and fill in tails, hands, and feet first. Slowly fill to provide a more professional look, and adjust fill as needed. Packing full also isn't desired. Arms and legs should move freely, and toy should be soft, not hard.
Once filled, sew the two inch opening shut by hand. Cut any remaining thread and begin making the facial and body features. To do this use markers, felt material cut outs, cartoon eyes, noses, mouths, or sew these features on the doll. For those that plan on sewing it might be best to do this before sewing pieces together. Sequins and beads can also be attached for a special, and unique toy.
Doll clothing for learning can either be made or purchased in a department store, and should include shirts with buttons, pants with zippers, and shoes with ties. This is especially important for those who plan to use shirt buttons for counting, or shoes for tying. They can also be used for learning stuffed dinosaur body parts, such as eyes, hands and feet, and then comparing to their own.
Not only are dinosaurs a fun craft for children, but they are also a great learning tool, and can serve as decoration pieces for play rooms, or bed room dressers. This is especially true when accompanied with clothing and accessories. Children can use them for endless play, but also for learning body parts, clothing, or learning to tie shoes.
Making this learning toy is easy. Just follow these simply instructions and parents and children will be their way to hours of fun. To begin the project select a pattern from the internet or a local craft shop. Decide if the toy will be small or large. Its often possible to make patterns larger or smaller using a copy machine.
Think about the materials available and colors. Choose a plain or multicolored soft fabric. When ready, place the template on material and begin cutting pieces of material in the same size pieces as the pattern. Make sure to go by the pattern and cut a front and back side using fabric scissors. Once cut, turn fabric to wrong side, and pin by edges.
Once they are pinned, begin sewing them together. Using a sewing machine sew 1/4 inch on the inside. Sewing by hand is also acceptable. Leave a space of 2 inches after sewing around the edges. In other words, leave space for turning the material, and also for stuffing. Turn the material inside out. Use a long pencil, pen, or crochet hook to push out the small curves of the dinosaur.
Begin stuffing the material with poly fill. Do not use large amounts of the fill all at once. This will clump and will result in lumps and air spaces. Take a small amount, and fill in tails, hands, and feet first. Slowly fill to provide a more professional look, and adjust fill as needed. Packing full also isn't desired. Arms and legs should move freely, and toy should be soft, not hard.
Once filled, sew the two inch opening shut by hand. Cut any remaining thread and begin making the facial and body features. To do this use markers, felt material cut outs, cartoon eyes, noses, mouths, or sew these features on the doll. For those that plan on sewing it might be best to do this before sewing pieces together. Sequins and beads can also be attached for a special, and unique toy.
Doll clothing for learning can either be made or purchased in a department store, and should include shirts with buttons, pants with zippers, and shoes with ties. This is especially important for those who plan to use shirt buttons for counting, or shoes for tying. They can also be used for learning stuffed dinosaur body parts, such as eyes, hands and feet, and then comparing to their own.