tiny dollhouse project

This tiny dollhouse project can be adapted for many different age groups, boys or girls. You can made as simple or complicated as you like. Remember, letting the partygoers ‘make it up’ with supplies on hand is a creatively simple option!

Hint: in this case a little bit of pre-party prep to make things run smoothly for a unforgettable event.

How to prepare:

I used this party craft for a group of 7-10 year olds, and it worked wonderfully.  They were engaged as long as you’d let them create. Some music playing, an organized grouping of supplies and they’ll cut and glue for hours.
The wooden peg people shapes are from Michaels craft store, but can be found at just about any other craft store.

We made tables and chairs from different sized wooden spools and flat round wooden disks (all can be purchased in bags of 10 or so at the craft store). We pre-glued the tables and chairs together, then pre-painted the people and the furniture with acrylic craft paint.

**Pre-painting made things run much more smoothly at the party and entirely avoided the issue of paint messes.

We got a little crazy painting the hair and faces on the wooden peg dolls. Two-toned hair added a some dimension (and silliness). I put a clear coat of glossy Modge Podge over the people to set the paint, they looked very chalky without the top coat. The tables and chairs also got a top coat, with some glitter mixed in.

I searched many craft stores trying to find affordable “dollhouses”. Originally, I wanted to use the paperboard tiny suitcases that open up flat and make a perfect dolly space. They were way too expensive at $6.99 each to purchase for each guest. I found a round metal lunch box for $3 each at a craft outlet- still too expensive. When the door was left open it didn’t sit flat on the table anyway. Finally, I found these recipe boxes at Michael’s in the dollar section. (they actually ended up being .50 cents each at the register) Not perfectly perfect (a bit too short/narrow- the recipe box would work better if the bed foam was thinner, like 1/2″ thick). But the perfect price for buying a dozen or so.

Luckily, I have loads of craft supplies stashed. I have this habit of saving every single scrap of rick rack, lace and fabric no matter how short. It finally paid off.
The bed is made from 1″ thick foam, the pillows from smaller piece of foam. The foam could really be any thickness (under an inch or so.) The kids chose the bedding from flannel fabric scraps ( from previous projects made over the years). With help, they hot glued the fabric over the foam to finish the beds and pillows.
We used hot glue to attach all the accessories to the dolls. The kids chose all of the ‘flair’ for their peg dolls, and came up with some great ideas.  The flowers in the hair (made from a sheet of gem stickers- scrapbook supplies) and rick rack headbands.

I found the cocktail umbrellas amid my party supplies and threw them in. The umbrellas ended up being the perfect size for the tiny house. We painted the extra spools. They glued in tiny silk flowers then used the ‘flower pot’ as an umbrella stand.

We left out a stack of scrapbook paper and stickers to make flooring, and occasionally wallpaper to the dollhouses. They used the stickers to cover the words “Recipes” on the outside of the boxes and decorate the walls inside.
The party guests (and my own kids) loved making their dollhouse and had so much fun. After the party was over my kids played with their dollhouses for hours more. They made sofas (with foam and fabric), laptops and deck chairs with various sized square wood pieces we had used for some of the tables.

Variations:

Craft paint for decorating the ‘house’, also cut up magazines or hand drawn pictures to decorate the walls. Paint the wooden figurines as boys and include wooden cars, trains or planes to be painted (previously or at the party) or a recipe box house with ‘boyish’ decor. My boys loved making this tiny dollhouse project just as much as the ladies. Craft doesn’t discriminate.

Here’s an example of the paperboard suitcase kit (mentioned earlier). In a more elaborate set-up, a entire wooden family, scrapbook papers and accessories for a more boyish or unisex version. Add-ons like a clothes line, picture frame, mirror for the wall, beds for the kids:

Customize you dolls with faces and outfits… recognize the Obama family in their first Inauguration Day outfits?