The KIM R Paperdoll
During a 3 week period of cold and drizzling rain my teenage daughter was commenting that there was nothing to do. (NOTE: Commenting when done by a teenager can be misinterpted as complaining, whining or begging for money.) I pointed out that she still had a walk in closet that could not be walked in because the floor had about a foot of clothing covering it. This suggestion was met with "The Look" from my daughter and her friend.
I remembered something that my daughters loved to do when they were little. PAPERDOLLS. I used to draw a paperdoll on white poster board, cut it out and give them the doll. They would spend hours with a box of crayons and paper making clothes. As they grew older, they covered shoe boxes with left over wrapping paper and made homes for their dolls.
The cost of this entertainment is almost free. You do not have to be an artist or even draw a paperdoll because if you use Yahoo Search and type in FREE PAPERDOLLS you will find you many that you can print out immediately so you dont have to draw your own. I found paperdolls for girls that range from glamour girl dress up to fairy tale characters. I was also amazed to discover the variety of paperdolls for boys. They had knights, soldiers, cowboys and office workers.
I made the KIM R Paperdoll using Photoshop and a printed paperdoll pattern, I added hair, skin tone, and a bobysuit. It took me about 20 minutes but more importantly, I kept the teenage girls quiet for almost 2 hours. Then they cleaned the closet...
I am not saying paperdolls are magic and will get your children to clean their rooms. I am saying it costs next to nothing to make a paperdoll and they can provide your children with hours of entertainment.
