Paper Toys

My daughter Jane and I have discovered something incredibly fun.

Paper Toys!

To the right on my blog, under My Favorite Websites, you will see a link called The_Toy_Maker.  In this adorably creative site, you will find dozens of free PDF versions of paper toys.  There is everything from a bear pushing a wagon, to moving steamboats, spinners to unicorn boxes...all of which are artistically drawn and colored in what I would describe as an "old world" style.

Each toy is printed out flat, with simple folding and cutting instructions.  I used photo paper to print mine, but any sort of heavy duty card stock or similar paper will do. 

There is a little bit of mean scissors skills involve, and at times it's a bit of a puzzle to figure out which part folds to what....but for me, that was all part of the fun.  My daughter, of course, liked it best when they were finished.

Some of the "Fairy Furniture" reminds me a bit of Tolkien, and I can easily imagine it in Bilbo Baggin's Hobbit hole.  I mean, come on....can it get any more adorable than a miniature, paper Sideboard?!  If only there were paper food and plates...surely that wouldn't be too hard to make. 

When all is said and done, the "free" toys do cost you in paper and printer ink, but the joy that comes from such simple pleasures is priceless.