Moving self portrait mobiles

Take a picture of yourself and make it move with this crazy craft activity for kids. Kids will enjoy watching themselves move about from the mobile as well as being able to position themselves in any manner they choose. Why not make the family move too?

What you need:

• 4 x split pins
• photo of your child
• magazines
• scissors
• coloured card
• glue
• coat hanger
• string

Number of players:
1+

Activity:

Using scissors cut out your head and the heads of family members from a photo. Try to make it a close up so the portrait does not end up too small.

If the photo has arms or legs cut them out too. If not, source some from a magazine. Alternatively, you could draw them if you can't find any you like.

Once the body parts have been selected and cut out, lay them out on the table to form a body around the photograph head.

Glue the head to the bulk of the body.

Pierce a hole using a split pin through each shoulder of the body.

Pierce a hole for the split pin in the top of the arm.

Push a split pin through the arm and then through the shoulder, joining the arm to the shoulder. This will mean the arm can move toward and away from the body.

Repeat this process for the legs creating moveable arms and legs.

Pierce a hole in the top of the head and thread string through with a knot at the end to ensure the string does not slip through. Attach the other end of the string to the coat hanger and tie it off. 

Move the limbs to a desired position and change daily for a few giggles.

Notes:

• If the split pin is not sharp enough to piece a hole into the paper and card, then use a large sewing needle. You can use scissors or a skewer, but be very gentle and careful not to damage the images. If the legs or arms are already attached to the bulk of the body then you can choose to cut them away to create moving limbs or keep them intact for stationary ones.
• Make family portraits. Your child will have lots of fun selecting body parts for their family. They may find it amusing to make themselves taller than other family members or give mum really long arms and shorter legs.
• Add more split pins so that arms and legs can move in two places, i.e. move to and from the body, and move at the knees and elbows.
• Your child can make a new self portrait each year as they grow up.
• Wrap up as a gift for grandparents or Mother’s and Father’s Day.