McKenna Shoots for the Stars comes out next week on DVD and I just know so many of you will LOVE it! We have watched it at least 5 times already and I expect we will be watching it even more in the weeks to come.
Mats are by far the most used piece of gymnastics equipment in a gym and they come in all shapes and sizes – from landing mats to super soft resi mats to fold up panel mats, a gym needs them all. A folding mat comes as part of McKenna’s gymnastics equipment, however, it is so easy to make your own folding mat for your dolls from fun foam and duck tape! And as part of today’s printable, I have included a conditioning workout for the dolls and some competition score cards so you can “judge” your dolls on their routines.
Toulane (played by the fabulous Ivy) and McKenna are ready for their competition! Toulane is wearing the sleeveless practice leotard that comes with McKenna’s set which the girls from Shooting Star Gymnastics actually wear for their competition in the movie. They wear a long sleeve leotard in their demonstration that is yellow and white. I have a feeling AG is going to release the long sleeve leotard for McKenna soon. In the mean time McKenna is wearing a fancy pink and white long sleeve leotard with embroidered designs from Tracy’s Designs. The gray mat in the photo is the one that comes with McKenna’s gymnastics equipment set. The blue one is the one I will show you how to make today. (View this post to learn how to make the vault system and springboard.)
In this photo the blue mat is folded up so McKenna and Toulane can stretch their splits a little more. The folded mats – also called panel mats – can be used for jumping onto, jumping over, for lots and lots of gymnastics drills and for stretching, too. The gymnastics bag, balance beam and green wedge mat in the background are all part of McKenna’s set.
You can see how the mat looks folded accordian style. McKenna is using the mat for a round off drill so she can work on getting off her hands faster and improving her tumbling. Sometimes you have to go back to basics in order to master harder skills. (After you watch the movie, come back and tell me who said that!)
How to Make a Folding Gymnastics Mat for Dolls
You will need:
- Fun foam – I used 4 sheets that were 5-1/2″ by 8-1/2″ each. Next time I will double up the individual sections of the mat and use 8 sheets instead of 4.
- A roll of duck tape in the color of your choice
Making the folding mat for your dolls is EASY. However, the most important thing to remember is that in order for the mat to be able to fold, you have to leave about 1/4″ in between the fun foam pieces when you start to duck tape.
- Step 1 - lay the first two pieces of fun foam side by side and leave a 1/4″ gap between the two. Cover the seam with duck tape.
- Step 2 - repeat the process of taping the seams for all the segments of your mat. I made mine 4 segments long, but you could do 6 segments and it would still be correct by gymnastic equipment standards.
- Step 3 – once all the seams are taped you can cover the remaining exposed fun foam with duck tape to give it a finished look.
Now for a fun printable to go with today’s activity! Print out McKenna’s conditioning workout so that she can get strong after her cast comes off. And print out the score cards – just like the ones that are used at many competitions. The girls usually get to take their score cards home – my daughter has stacks of them from all her years of competing. Just fill in your doll’s name, her team name, and her scores for each event. When she has done all four routines, add them all up for her all around score.
Download the printable activity sheets for the gymnastics competition activities as a PDF file.
Cute! Molly will enjoy being a gymnast for the day!
Secondie.
Cool
Thirdie! I think…
coolieo!!!!!!!
So cute! Totally making one!
Cute! Really want to make one!
What doll should I get (if I get one)? McKenna, or a My American Girl Doll?
Sooo cool
i need to get duck tape…..
really cool!
I wish you guys post the full movie to your site!Thank you Doll Diaries!Your big fan!Madison Liberty Brooks
Madison – it is illegal to post a movie you purchase on our site. I would never do that.
What’s a vault?? Sorry I do karate ik nothin about gymnastics
Brianna – the vault is one of the gymnastics events – the gymnasts run down a long runway, jump on a springboard and then go over – here is a good artlicle with a photo – http://www.gymnasticsrevolution.com/Parents%2023-1.html
Cute!!
I saw brave today I think it’s a great movie
Char where did you get the pink/white gymnastics outfit? Love it! Looking to get oje for Abbys dolls
Princess Belle – It is your decision, but I will tell you some information about them both.
MyAG doll- She won’t retire for a long time (if she’s a newer doll), and there are endless outfit possibilities for her and you can create her personality and interests. (On a side note, there will be a new MyAG “meet” outfit any day now, so I would wait until the outfit change, unless you like the outfit that the dolls come with now.)
McKenna- She is only available for one year, and after that year if you decide to get her, she might be more expensive than you would like to pay. Other than that, she is a wonderful character and you can get her clothes and other items based on what she likes in her books and movie.
Lorie Ann – the link is in the post, but it is from Tracy’s – http://www.tracysdesigns1.artfire.com/ – it’s very cute.
Thanks Char and dont know why I missed the link when I read the pos tthe first time lol
i know who says it may i say it
You are awesome! Thank you so much! This was so creative!
Hi Char , I was wondering could you use anything else instead of foam ? I think I know who it is .This i my favorite …. so far .
Ingrid – you could cut cardboard in equal size pieces and cover it with the fun foam.
Melody – sure – go for it!
Wow. Very cool and I can”t wait for the 27th day!! I couldn’t acess the site all day yesterday and it was very frustrating.
I want duck tape!!!!!!!!!!!!
pricess belle~ get mckenna because she is only here for one year, but mags are going to here for a long time so you can always pick one up later. but if you really want a mag and want mckenna the same then i think you get mckenna because if you don’t you might regret it.
Can’t wait!
Can you do a post/video on how to do a sock bun for a doll
Bella – I will see what we can do.
this looks way to hard for me. and char i need hairstyles for layered hair for my doll
awsome!
Thank you .
Done. I also made a bar, but I have’nt gotten everything for a beam yet. Nellie just needs a new leotard, and my friend will teach me about gymnastics, she’s very talented and wants McKenna very badly!!
I can send in pictures if people want to see it!!
Thanks to Anastasia and Megan!!!!!!Your information really helped.
My friend and I made it when she spent the night 2 days ago . It was really cute and since we both are duct tapers it was really easy to make !
Char-
I absoloutly love doll diaries! im 11 and i still enjoy playing with my dolls, theres six of them. This year theres been so much talk about gymnastics that i couldnt help but fall in love with it! This fall im joining a level one team. Of course with my love of gymnastics, i had to make a doll team, and i was wondering how i could post pictures of my dolls and all their equipment that i made myself. I have crafts on how to make uneven bar and even a beam. If you could get back to me that would be great!
-mel
Mel, sure. you can email me your photos at share@dolldiaries.com
Greetings,
I just found this blog, as I searched for ideas on making a doll vault. I love your craft ideas. My daughter has 2 AG dolls and I bought her the McKenna equipment for her birthday. She will definitely add to it with your ideas.
I wanted to comment on the June 5 post, but I think it’s too old for new comments. My daughter and I noticed, in the photos of that post, that the grips on the bar were backwards. The are meant to be in the palm of the dolls hand.
wow yours is better than the one in the set i think it is a wast of money if you can make it rebecca will love it and the link it is cool i was going to get the dvd but but did not have enough $ so sad