intro:
All of us are unique individuals from varying backgrounds, but we are all connected. To highlight this fact, this activity has children creating a string of connected paper dolls representing different cultures and unique physical qualities such as skin tone.
set up ideas:
For very young children, you may wish to create the paper dolls yourself in advance. Children who are able may cut their own for scissor and fine-motor practice.
All of us are unique individuals from varying backgrounds, but we are all connected. To highlight this fact, this activity has children creating a string of connected paper dolls representing different cultures and unique physical qualities such as skin tone.
set up ideas:
For very young children, you may wish to create the paper dolls yourself in advance. Children who are able may cut their own for scissor and fine-motor practice.
let's get started
To make these adorable figures from around the world, you'll need multi-cultural paint, crayons, markers, fabric and any collage materials desired. You may wish to demonstrate examples of contemporary styles and/or traditional cultural dress from a diverse range of people around the world.
step 1
Create an accordion fold in a sheet of paper so that there are eight equal sections. Each section will be half of a paper doll.
Create an accordion fold in a sheet of paper so that there are eight equal sections. Each section will be half of a paper doll.
step 2
Draw half of a human figure onto the top piece of the accordion fold. You may use a stencil or template to make this part easier for young children.
Draw half of a human figure onto the top piece of the accordion fold. You may use a stencil or template to make this part easier for young children.
step 3
Cut along the drawn path. Once complete, unfold the accordion to reveal 4 complete paper doll figures.
Cut along the drawn path. Once complete, unfold the accordion to reveal 4 complete paper doll figures.
step 4
Have the children decorate each doll to create a diverse group of people from around the world, all connected and holding hands.
Have the children decorate each doll to create a diverse group of people from around the world, all connected and holding hands.
Food, music, appearance and religious beliefs are a few things that make us all unique, but we all have more in common than you might think! Discuss why diversity is something to be celebrated, and what kinds of things we can learn from our differences and similarities.
Tips and TricksMaking accordion-style paper dolls is great fine-motor practice, but you may wish to help children out by providing stencils, helping them fold their paper or even providing very young children with precut paper dolls to decorate.
Follow up ActivityDiscuss the person that each doll created represents. You may display the dolls together to form a long line or a circle around the earth to demonstrate that we are all connected to one another.