Create a Character With Powers

What can we use instead of tape, glue, or the three small household props if we don't have them?

If you don't have tape, glue, or the three small household props, use sticky tack or double-sided tape for attaching, and substitute props with stickers, cut-out paper shapes, buttons, or small recycled items like bottle caps as described in the step to attach three props to the drawing.

My props keep falling off or the colors bleed—how can we fix that?

To prevent props from falling off and colors bleeding, attach the three props to the drawing with stronger options like glue dots or a stapler (or an adult-use hot glue) and color on heavier paper or let marker layers dry between strokes as you color your character using your coloring materials.

How should we change the activity for different ages or skill levels?

For younger children simplify by using stickers and crayons and having parents help sketch the basic shape and attach the three props, while older kids can add detailed gadgets, write a longer backstory than the 3–5 sentence requirement, or design digital versions to share on DIY.org.

What are some ways to extend or personalize the finished character project?

To extend or personalize the project, make the three props interactive (attach a string to make a moving gadget), add battery-powered LEDs to show glowing hands, turn the drawing into a short comic about the character's backstory, or create a costume based on the costume and features you drew before sharing on DIY.org.