A tribute to the famous climactic sequence of the 1961 musical fantasy Babes in Toyland, this holiday craft was originally produced by the Walt Disney Productions character merchandising division and sent out to company and business partners. The imaginative piece invited recipients to create their own miniature holiday display featuring the toy soldier, a Disney icon that swiftly gained popularity in the 1960s and would appear annually in Christmas parades at Disney theme parks.
This toy soldier is sure to bring a vintage Disney touch to your holiday decorations! Is that a trumpet fanfare we hear in the distance? (Feel free to follow the original instructions seen on Page 1 of the downloadable file, or follow ours below.)
Supplies:
8.5 x 11-inch white cardstock (printable)
Scissors
- Download and print out both pages (Pages 1 and 2) onto your cardstock. (Note: Page 1 can be printed on regular printer paper, if need be.)
- Using your scissors, cut out Images 1, 2, and 3 from Page 2. Then make sure to cut or “push up” any marked slots or tabs. (The slots on the soldier’s boots are a little hard to see.)
- Take Image 3 and form a cylinder, placing the cut-out tips in the appropriate slots. Once placed, fold them down to lock.
- Fold back Image 2 (vertically, down its center) so that it looks like the drawing marked “2.” on Page 1.
- Slide the cylinder formed from Image 3 over the body made with Image 2, locking its shoulders into the appropriate slots.
- Place the legs over the turned-up “feet” tabs on Image 1 and lock into the slots cut into the feet on Image 2.
- Fold the crease closest to the soldier’s feet up; the next crease, fold down; and the final crease, fold under—creating a small front sign. Lock the tab from the end of Image 1 into its appropriate slot.
- Your soldier is ready to guard all your most treasured Christmas goodies!
NOTE: Cutting should be done by an adult.
