{"id":9147,"date":"2014-12-16T15:57:30","date_gmt":"2014-12-16T15:57:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=9147"},"modified":"2018-12-18T14:36:38","modified_gmt":"2018-12-18T19:36:38","slug":"kids-holiday-gift-ideas-craft-projects-from-newspapers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/kids-holiday-gift-ideas-craft-projects-from-newspapers.html","title":{"rendered":"Kids Holiday Gift Ideas: Craft Projects from Newspapers"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><em>Introduction<\/em><\/strong><em>: In this article, Mary Harrell-Sesniak searches old newspapers to find craft projects our ancestors might have made, such as cut-out patterns, paper dolls, soap box coasters, and paper airplanes. Mary is a genealogist, author and editor with a strong technology background.<br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Want a fun craft project for a child\u2019s Christmas or holiday gift that can be completed in a weekend?<\/p>\n<p>Search old newspapers, such as GenealogyBank\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/gbnk\/newspapers\/?utm_source=social&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=%20SM_Blog_txtlnk_2014_00&amp;s_referrer=social&amp;s_siteloc=blog&amp;s_trackval=%20SM_Blog_txtlnk_2014_00&amp;kbid=69919&amp;pq=1&amp;prebuy=no&amp;intver=&amp;CCPRODCODE=\">Historical Newspaper Archives<\/a>, for ideas about gifts our ancestors might have made. Newspapers\u2019 Feature pages of the past often included patterns and craft projects that our grandparents made, and the projects have the added benefit of inspiring the young to pursue genealogy.<\/p>\n<p>Coloring books, cut-out patterns, paper dolls or even paper airplanes are easily found in old newspapers. Assemble the patterns into a booklet or place the projects into a special Christmas stocking along with the required materials. You might even consider embellishing the stocking by adding some of the patterns to the fabric of the stocking.<\/p>\n<p>If you don\u2019t wish this to be a surprise, help your children make these crafts as gifts for others. Either way, the fun will last for hours!<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Search Tips<\/em><\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Search the newspapers\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/explore\/newspapers\/photos-illustrations\">Photos &amp; Illustrations<\/a> category with keywords such as:\u00a0 \u201ccontest,\u201d \u201ccut out,\u201d \u201cpaper dolls\u201d or \u201cpaper planes.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Some of the projects, including those for toy airplanes, were patented in their day. Search <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?tbs=cdr:1,ptsdt:a,cd_min:1870,cd_max:1925&amp;tbm=pts&amp;q=toy+arrow+plane&amp;oq=toy+arrow+plane&amp;gs_l=serp.3..0i7i30.4514.4514.0.5163.1.1.0.0.0.0.69.69.1.1.0....0...1c.1.56.serp..0.1.68.9AnMjT_bt6o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?tbs=cdr:1,ptsdt:a,cd_min:1870,cd_max:1925&amp;tbm=pts&amp;q=toy+arrow+plane&amp;oq=toy+arrow+plane&amp;gs_l=serp.3..0i7i30.4514.4514.0.5163.1.1.0.0.0.0.69.69.1.1.0....0...1c.1.56.serp..0.1.68.9AnMjT_bt6o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u2019s<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?tbs=cdr:1,ptsdt:a,cd_min:1870,cd_max:1925&amp;tbm=pts&amp;q=toy+arrow+plane&amp;oq=toy+arrow+plane&amp;gs_l=serp.3..0i7i30.4514.4514.0.5163.1.1.0.0.0.0.69.69.1.1.0....0...1c.1.56.serp..0.1.68.9AnMjT_bt6o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Patent <\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?tbs=cdr:1,ptsdt:a,cd_min:1870,cd_max:1925&amp;tbm=pts&amp;q=toy+arrow+plane&amp;oq=toy+arrow+plane&amp;gs_l=serp.3..0i7i30.4514.4514.0.5163.1.1.0.0.0.0.69.69.1.1.0....0...1c.1.56.serp..0.1.68.9AnMjT_bt6o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Search<\/a> for corresponding projects.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Here are some examples of fun children\u2019s craft projects and activities from yesteryear.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Christmas Fireplace to Be Cut Out<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s a pattern from 1903 for your child to create a fireplace decorated for Christmas.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9148\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9148\" style=\"width: 441px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/photo-1216-2014-fireplace-cut-out.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-9148\" title=\"photo-1216-2014-fireplace-cut-out\" src=\"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/photo-1216-2014-fireplace-cut-out.png\" alt=\"fireplace cut-out pattern for children, Baltimore American newspaper article 13 December 1903\" width=\"441\" height=\"422\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/photo-1216-2014-fireplace-cut-out.png 441w, https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/photo-1216-2014-fireplace-cut-out-300x287.png 300w, https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/photo-1216-2014-fireplace-cut-out-313x300.png 313w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 441px) 100vw, 441px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9148\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Baltimore American (Baltimore, Maryland), 13 December 1903, page 47<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Prize Painting Contest<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Use this kid\u2019s craft pattern from 1904 to create your own mini contest. Add crayons or watercolors and fun prizes so that friends or siblings can play along. The caption reads:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>For the four best paintings of the above picture two prize packages and two gold-plated Outlook Flag Pins are offered. Boys and girls who love painting should try what they can do with this picture, which has been made in outline especially for them.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9149\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9149\" style=\"width: 584px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/photo-1216-2014-prize-painting-contest.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-9149\" title=\"photo-1216-2014-prize-painting-contest\" src=\"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/photo-1216-2014-prize-painting-contest.png\" alt=\"outline scene for a children's painting contest, Boston Journal newspaper article 13 March 1904\" width=\"584\" height=\"549\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/photo-1216-2014-prize-painting-contest.png 584w, https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/photo-1216-2014-prize-painting-contest-300x282.png 300w, https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/photo-1216-2014-prize-painting-contest-319x300.png 319w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9149\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Boston Journal (Boston, Massachusetts), 13 March 1904, page 11<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Paper Dolls to Paint and Cut Out<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>What child doesn\u2019t love a paper doll?<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9150\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9150\" style=\"width: 489px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/photo-1216-2014-paper-dolls-cut-out.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-9150\" title=\"photo-1216-2014-paper-dolls-cut-out\" src=\"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/photo-1216-2014-paper-dolls-cut-out.png\" alt=\"paper doll cut-outs, Boston Journal newspaper article 29 December 1901\" width=\"489\" height=\"299\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/photo-1216-2014-paper-dolls-cut-out.png 489w, https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/photo-1216-2014-paper-dolls-cut-out-300x183.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 489px) 100vw, 489px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9150\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Boston Journal (Boston, Massachusetts), 29 December 1901, page 2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Novelty Paper Dolls<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s a dapper-looking gentleman cut-out from 1902.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9151\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9151\" style=\"width: 529px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/photo-1216-2014-novelty-paper-dolls-cut-out.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-9151\" title=\"photo-1216-2014-novelty-paper-dolls-cut-out\" src=\"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/photo-1216-2014-novelty-paper-dolls-cut-out.png\" alt=\"paper doll cut-outs, Boston Journal newspaper article 2 February 1902\" width=\"529\" height=\"240\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/photo-1216-2014-novelty-paper-dolls-cut-out.png 529w, https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/photo-1216-2014-novelty-paper-dolls-cut-out-300x136.png 300w, https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/photo-1216-2014-novelty-paper-dolls-cut-out-500x226.png 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 529px) 100vw, 529px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9151\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Boston Journal (Boston, Massachusetts), 2 February 1902, section: Fiction and Children\u2019s, page 7<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Soap Box Coaster<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In this 1915 newspaper article, 11-year-old Albert Weld explained how he made a coaster for the soap box derby for only 30 cents\u2014and for his prize-winning entry, the paper paid him $1.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9152\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9152\" style=\"width: 573px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/plain-dealer-newspaper-1121-1915-albert-weld-coaster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-9152\" title=\"plain-dealer-newspaper-1121-1915-albert-weld-coaster\" src=\"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/plain-dealer-newspaper-1121-1915-albert-weld-coaster.png\" alt=\"Albert Weld's Coaster Cost 30 Cents; He Tells Each Step to Make It, Plain Dealer newspaper article 21 November 1915\" width=\"573\" height=\"546\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/plain-dealer-newspaper-1121-1915-albert-weld-coaster.png 573w, https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/plain-dealer-newspaper-1121-1915-albert-weld-coaster-300x285.png 300w, https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/plain-dealer-newspaper-1121-1915-albert-weld-coaster-314x300.png 314w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 573px) 100vw, 573px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9152\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio), 21 November 1915, page 69<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>This contest article also shows how every part of a newspaper can provide genealogical information about your ancestors. Imagine if Albert Weld was your ancestor, and you found this article. From it you learn:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Albert was 11 in 1915<\/li>\n<li>He lived in Cleveland<\/li>\n<li>His address: 1840 W. 52<sup>nd<\/sup> St.<\/li>\n<li>He was in seventh grade at the Detroit school<\/li>\n<li>His teacher was Miss Ward<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Perhaps most wonderful of all, you get to read the short essay Albert wrote describing how he built his coaster for only 30 cents, including his plaintive final words: \u201cI did this all myself, as I have no father or brother to help me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>To top it all off, you get a picture of Albert, showing how he looked as an 11-year-old, even if the photo caption misspelled his first name as \u201cAlfred.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s one from the Patent Office.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cArrowplane\u201d for Boys and Girls<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Description:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Reg. U.S. Pat. Office. In the accompanying drawings, four airplanes are shown. Cut out carefully all parts, following black lines being sure not to tear the paper. From a piece of cardboard, about the thickness of a writing tablet back, cut out four long and four short strings same size as patterns shown. These are used to reinforce the front edges of the airplane and to give them proper balance for flight&#8230;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9153\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9153\" style=\"width: 419px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/photo-1216-2014-model-airplane-instructions.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-9153\" title=\"photo-1216-2014-model-airplane-instructions\" src=\"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/photo-1216-2014-model-airplane-instructions.png\" alt=\"model airplane instructions\" width=\"419\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/photo-1216-2014-model-airplane-instructions.png 419w, https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/photo-1216-2014-model-airplane-instructions-235x300.png 235w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 419px) 100vw, 419px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9153\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Model airplane instructions<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>If you tried any of these kids\u2019 craft projects, please let us know how they went! Or share with us some of your own homemade toy projects.<\/p>\n<p>After all, as the introduction to Albert Weld\u2019s article above stated:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Home made toys are just as much fun to play with as those that are bought readymade, and they are such fun to make.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Happy holidays to you and yours!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related Kids\u2019 Craft Project Articles:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/diy-project-your-own-holiday-family-advent-calendar.html\">DIY Project: Your Own Holiday Family Advent Calendar<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/6-genealogy-projects-to-interest-kids-teens-in-family-history.html\">6 Genealogy Projects to Interest Kids &amp; Teens in Family History<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/30-activities-games-ideas-for-family-reunion-fun.html\">30 Games &amp; Activities for Family Reunion Fun<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In this article, Mary Harrell-Sesniak searches old newspapers to find craft projects our ancestors might have made, such as paper airplanes and dolls.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":46907,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12703],"tags":[3732,45,38595,2020,38331],"class_list":["post-9147","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-holidays","tag-children","tag-christmas","tag-crafts","tag-newspaper-archives","tag-toys"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/illustration-1222-2014-christmas-tree-1.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9147","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9147"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9147\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46907"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9147"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9147"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9147"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}