These sweet wooden peg sorting and matching dolls are both playful and educational. Each doll is painted a rainbow color and pairs with a matching pot to sit inside. Children can practice color recognition and sorting by matching each doll to her pot.
If you enjoy these wooden peg sorting dolls, you might also like simple sensory toys like salt dough trucks for imaginative play.
I love simple toys like this—easy to make and adored by my little girl.
I found this peg doll and cups set at Joann’s, but similar sets are available at craft stores and online. There are many creative ways to decorate these dolls—check out superhero peg dolls for inspiration.
I painted each doll and its matching cup with acrylic paint, then sealed them with clear spray paint. Once dry, I used a fine permanent marker to add simple faces.
Wooden Peg Sorting and Matching Dolls
Wooden Peg Sorting and Matching Dolls
These sweet wooden peg sorting and matching dolls are playful and educational. Each doll is painted a rainbow color with a matching pot to sit inside. Match each doll with her pot.
Active Time
1 hr
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr
1 hr
Yield: 1 set
Author: Brandy Nelson
Cost: $15
Equipment
- blow dryer (optional)
Materials
- peg dolls and matching cups
- acrylic craft paint (various colors)
- paint brushes
- ultra-fine permanent marker for faces
- clear spray sealer
Instructions
- Paint each peg doll and its matching cup in the same color. Use multiple coats if needed for even coverage.
- Allow the paint to dry completely. A blow dryer can speed up drying if desired.
- Apply a clear spray sealer to the dolls and cups to protect the paint.
- Let the sealer dry thoroughly.
- Add simple facial details with an ultra-fine permanent marker after the sealer is fully dry.
Notes
Do not add facial details before sealing. Applying the clear coat after drawing faces may cause the ink to run, and drawing on the sealed surface can be done safely once the sealer is fully cured.
Kaylee calls them her “babies” and loves matching them by color. It drives her crazy if a doll ends up in the wrong cup—so of course Aaron likes to switch them for fun. The boys enjoy playing with them too, and they make a simple, durable toy for daily play.
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This post is a refreshed version of an article originally shared in 2011.