The jumping jack is a toy whose origins date back thousands of years. The jointed jumping-jack figure is a cross between a puppet and a paper doll. Their limbs are jointed and tied to a pull string. When the string is pulled and released, the arms and legs move up and down.
This is a fun project to do with children. I recently made them with a group of Kindergarteners using the diagrams that I am posting here. I enlarged them so that they would be easier for the children to work with and printed them on card stock. They first used colored pencils to create their own figure and then cut out the pieces. They are a little tricky to assemble and do require a fair amount of patience, so I took care of that part for them.
Copy the jumping jack pattern onto card stock.
Cut out your pattern.
Using a small hole punch, punch holes in the dots indicated on the pattern.
You will need eight decorative brads or small brass fasteners. Use your brads to connect limbs at the shoulders, elbows, hips and knees as indicated on the diagram.
The string that creates the movement must be added to your assembled figure. Tie a light weight string between the holes that you have already created between “A” and “B” and one between “C” and “D. They should be neither too tight or too slack. Your operating string should now be attached. It should be tied tightly at the center of “A” and “B” and the center of “C and D” and extend to about the knee level.
Use crayons or colored pencils to decorate your Jumping Jack.
Check out my finished jumping jack here.
