doing our part for the kindergarten economy

So, as part of their math unit on money, tomorrow the kindergartners are having a class "store," where they'll be given "money," allowed to spend it on various things (donated by parents), & then track their purchases in a "ledger." 

I decided to make clothespin doll kits, because I think that just about anything is more fun in a kit, also I had a big bag of clothespins sitting around.

I started by using acrylic paint to "stain" some of my clothespins brown.  I like those triangular makeup sponges for this:  wet the sponge, dip it in some brown paint, rub it on the clothespin, & then wipe off the extra.  You can also do this with a pretty wet paintbrush (brush on) & a paper towel (wipe off), but the sponges make it quick & easy.

Next, I drilled a 1/16" hole across the "shoulders" of the pin (perpendicular to the leg opening) for the pipecleaner arms to go through.  In the past, I've just used a regular old drill to do this, but this time I got out the new Dremel drill press that I haven't touched since my parents gave it to me at Christmas, & it worked like an extremely speedy charm.  (Yeah, I asked for it to help with various resin tasks, but instead I'm using it for yet more school projects.  Story of my life right now.)

The kits contain a clothespin, a 3" length of pipecleaner (bent around into a "hand" at one end), two scraps of fabric, a tuft of wool for hair, & a bead bracelet.  All stuff I had around, super easy to put together.  The only really time consuming part of this project came from my decision to make an illustrated set of directions (click here for a pdf version!)*.

These are going to be "big-ticket" items, priced way up at 99¢ (the top of the imaginary price range).  I think they'll sell well.

So then, caught up in the excitement of making tiny craft kits, I put together some bead stringing sets (34¢) & little bundles of wool for felting.  (Felting has now become an activity center during the kids' afternoon free time, but they don't get to take the wool home, so I thought that it would be fun for them to be able to buy their own bags of wool (57¢)).  I did end up picking up supplies from the craft store for the beading sets, but everything else came from stash, which in & of itself was a useful exercise, just looking around at my supplies & re-seeing them from a kid's perspective.  (Can you tell that I have a loooong summer with kids ahead of me?)

It's sort of like getting ready for a craft show.  With fake money, & the easiest-to-please crowd ever.  I can't wait!

-----

*When you open the pdf file, it looks like a blank page.  Scroll down & you'll see the instructions.  It's two-sided, folded in fourths for packaging, & I designed it so that the fold would be across the top of the cover illustration, so the top part of the first page is blank.

Comments

[Sarah]

Nice! I'm dl-ing the pdf ;) Gonna do fun stuff with kids, yay :)

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these doll are so cute!! How did you stain them with acrylic paint?

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Maybe they will need to add a packaging class to the curriculum! It does make a difference!

[Cindy]

This website is selling your pattern!

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I purchased it thinking it was a new clothespin doll pattern that I did not have. you won't see it on the website....but once you download it...it is the same one you offer for free!

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Thank you ,it's really useful.

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Love the necklace! Etsy it up!

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i didn't know clothespin could be these stylish! extremely creative.

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[mandy]

What a great idea! I wish I was a student in this class.

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What a great idea!! I think we'll try to make a few this afternoon.
Love her jewels!

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