Peg Doll Faces {Printable guide and Planner}

I know I usually post fun coloring sheets, but I recently participated in a peg doll exchange, and I’m all excited about it.  What I loved the most is all the unique styles each person chose for their Peg Dolls.  I thought, wouldn’t it be neat if there was an easy printable to use as a guide for painting peg doll faces? So I made one. Then I thought, wouldn’t it also be neat to have a planning page for drawing my sketches on? So I made one of those too.

Let’s just go ahead and say up front, this is NOT an exhaustive list.  There are probably thousands of ways to paint your peg dolls, these are just a few of the most common ways I’ve seen (and loved).  Feel free to do your own thing and completely ignore this printable.  Or if you just want a few ideas, print it off and have it handy while you plan and paint your own set. Oh yea, and it’s free. Just click below.

Peg Doll Planner and Guide Printables

And now I show off all my cool peg dolls from the Old Testament Swap I participated in, and analyze/talk about my favorite face features!  If you don’t care about any of this you can print the guide and move along in life. I promise my feelings won’t be hurt.

First, let’s look at the eyes.

Don’t underestimate the power of “JUST DOTS.”  Yes they’re simple but they’re open to endless possibilities (depending on the rest of the face).  Are they happy, sad, excited, lonely? Just dots for eyes lets your child imagine any feeling they want with their peg doll.  Not to mention they are super easy.  Use a sharpie or just the wooden end of your paint brush to dab little black dots for eyes and you’re done.  Maybe 1 second per eye? Plus there is some variability even in the ‘just dots’ style.  Put them far apart or close together- each shows a different personality.

From L to R: Joshua, Ruth, Jacob, Noah

I actually created a small collection of little people with ‘just dots’ for eyes and no other facial features.  I use them when teaching stories that involve crowds.  When Jesus teaches a crowd, feeds a crowd, a crowd follows him etc, Jesus has to walk through crowds, or at the passion the crowd shouted “Crucify Him.”  Since they have no mouths or eyebrows, they have no expression and thus take on whatever expression the story gives them. Also, without facial features they end up being all sorts of emotions when my daughter plays with them on her own- angry, sad, happy, excited.  I’ve seen them do anything from having a party to shouting “Crucify Him.” Talk about a versatile doll.

I have 10 of these guys, but I could only find 4 of them for a picture. Go Figure.

Shiny Dots- my favorite.  I know a lot of people go for more realistic looking eyes, but I like the simplicity of the shiny dot.  All the peg dolls (except my ‘crowd’ dolls) I paint have shiny dots because- they’re super easy but slightly fancier than just a dot.

From L to R: Jeremiah, Joseph (colored coat), and Resurrection Jesus from Lacy’s Printable Peg Dolls– he’s not from the swap I just love him!

Happy Squinty and Sad Squinty eyes can really go either way, I just felt like giving them names. It really comes down to the happy or sad mouth you give them.  

Just look how happy Solomon and this Angel are! (again the angel is from the resurrection set)

Happy lady squinty eyes- I love these! They make your girl peg dolls so feminine and happy at the same time!

Seriously, how cute are Elizabeth and Sarah?!

Ok, on to Noses and Eyebrows.  Is anyone still with me? Oh well, I know I’m having fun.

My picture above neglects to have just NO NOSE OR EYEBROWS as an option.  That’s actually, the most common I’ve found so far, and it’s totally legit.  Peg people don’t have to have noses, what do they need to smell anyway? Just look how cute Adam and Eve are, and without noses or eyebrows.

And then these guys display a nice assortment of both noses and brows.  I love the very masculine look the heavy brows give. But, wow does Malchizedek look amazing, and he has a simple line for a nose and gentle white arched eyebrows.

Malchizedek, Tobit, and Caleb

And because I’m getting tired, and can’t believe I’m still writing about Peg Dolls, Mouths!

By Far I see the simple happy curve the most! Simple, easy to make and so happy! Here’s Queen Ester, simple eyes simple smile, still beautiful!

And these three, two of them have the simple smile and are so lovely!

From L to R: Rachel, St. Ann, Judith

And I just love the lips on these ladies!

From L to R: Rahab, Leah and Hannah

Ok, that’s enough showing off of my dolls.  I have plenty more, I just don’t know where the kids put them.  And if I was in your swap and they don’t appear here, just take it as a compliment that my kids love them and play with them so much that I can’t find them.

You  might also like my Printable Peg Doll Cottage, and Printable Peg Doll Castle for all your peg doll play time!

What are your favorite styles of Peg Doll Faces? What’s your go-to eye design? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks!

Kristen

Please like & share:

20