Little Prince

20 min · $3-8 · Easy

Crown, cape, and a royal sash from the dress-up box or the craft drawer.

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DIY this week — ~$3-8, 20 min

• Buy the gold cardstock, ribbon, and stick-on gems.
• Cut the cardstock into a crown band sized to the head, overlap 1 inch, and glue.
• Press the stick-on gems around the crown band, one big gem centered on the front.
• Drape the fabric as a cape.
• Sash: drape the wide ribbon from one shoulder to the opposite hip and tape or glue it at the waist.

Tip: tilt the crown slightly to one side. A crooked crown is the whole charm of a little prince.

You need

• Gold cardstock or a paper crown, 1 (buy: party store, or make: from cardstock)
• Red or purple fabric for the cape, about 1 yard (own, or buy: craft store)
• Wide ribbon for the sash, about 2 yards (buy: craft store)
• Stick-on plastic gems, 1 pack (buy: dollar store)
• White gloves, 1 pair (buy: dollar store, optional)
• Safety pins, 2
• Scissors, 1 pair
• Glue stick, 1

Steps

1. Buy the gold cardstock, ribbon, and stick-on gems. Pull cape fabric from the craft drawer.
2. Cut the cardstock into a crown band sized to the head, overlap 1 inch, and glue. Cut triangle points along the top edge.
3. Press the stick-on gems around the crown band, one big gem centered on the front.
4. Drape the fabric as a cape. For under-5s, skip the pins: tie the cape's top corners to the shirt shoulders with short ribbon ties, or glue the top edge to the back of the shirt. Nothing tied around the neck.
5. Safety: no pins near little hands. Keep the cape above the knees so it cannot trip. Nothing tied around the neck.
6. Sash: drape the wide ribbon from one shoulder to the opposite hip and tape or glue it at the waist.
7. Optional pro finish: tilt the crown slightly to one side. A crooked crown is the whole charm of a little prince.

Common questions

How do you keep a paper crown from tearing?

Use cardstock, not printer paper, and overlap the band a full inch before gluing. The stick-on gems add stiffness as a bonus.

What if we have no cape fabric?

A red bath towel or a pillowcase works. Pin it at the shoulders, never tie it at the neck, and trim it above the knees.

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