The Boys Nursery


Settlers children such as the Mckenzie children had few if any toys. Like all children they had too be imaginative by finding or making their own way to have fun, becoming inventive with what they had. Perhaps Andrew and the other McKenzie children, made their own toys, from what was plentiful within their surroundings.
Many settler children used vegetables from the harvest including carrots and corn husks for their toys.
Place yourself in the 1860's as one of the McKenzie children and ask your parents to help you make your own corncob doll.
a corn field
B-08204

Corn Cob Doll Instructions

  • First find a ear of corn with the husk still attached

  • Remove the husk and mold the corn silk into a hair for your doll

  • Find sticks or toothpicks to use as arms and legs, place these on the sides of the ear of corn

  • Find black buttons or stones for eyes and glue them on to create a face for your doll

  • Use the green husk or some scrap material for a dress

    • Use your imagination and make your own original creation!

    Design, graphics and HTML by Jessica Young
    Produced by Digital Collections Team under contract to Industry Canada.
    Content provided by: Heritage Branch, Province of British Columbia.
    All graphics, text and html pages copyright Province of British Columbia
    Last updated January 30, 1998