Make your own personalized vinyl window clings that your child can use to make stories on the car window while you travel.
You can keep your child busy in the backseat rearranging the scene and the stories forever!

This is a great project for art-challenged types like myself.

Materials:
Ink Jet printable static vinyl cling paper
Ink Jet Printer
Clip Art and Personal photos collection
Small Photo Album (storage of the clings)

The hardest part of this project is trying to photograph the results on the window.

Step 1: Step 1:Layout

Setup your new image equal to the size of your vinyl cling paper. In this case 8.5 X 11 inches was perfect. Take a collection of clip art your child loves and lay it out on the page.

Be aware that vinyl cling paper feeds differently in various printers. It is a good idea to avoid taking images right to the top edge until you know how your printer will feed.

Step 2: Step:2 Sizing

Along with basic storyboard elements, you may want to make dress up items for the characters. Using a transparent layer, paste and selection tools will allow you to overlay items and size them up or down to match.

It is good to remember that little hands (three to seven years old) will be handling these clings. If you make items smaller than 1.5 inches it will be hard for them to paste them on the windows because the cling will curl at the edges slightly.

Step 3: Step 3:Get in the Story!

Kids love to be part of the tale. So paste them into the artwork wherever you can. In our house the story is called "Kathryn and the Three Bears".

Include pictures of everybody in the family - paste Dad's head onto a superhero, Mom can be the Queen. The possibilities are endless.

Note: You should only get worried if it seems every story ends with Dad in the mouth of the T-Rex!

Step 4: Step 4: Print and Dry

If you treat the vinyl cling material just like a photo print, you should not run into any problems.

Set your ink jet printer to best photo quality and select Glossy photo paper, or transparency.

There are several brands of printable vinyl out there and they all react differently. It is best not to handle the cling when it first comes out just in case there is any ink still drying.

Step 5: Step 5: Cut Out

It is best to leave the cling attached to the card stock backing while you cut it out.

How close you trim the edges to the shape is a matter of cutting skill and preference. Keep in mind the age of your child when determining the final cut size. The smaller the fingers, the more material you want to give them to grab on to.

Step 6: Step 6: Storage

Any small photo or scrap book album will work great for storage. You can also use regular page protectors if you have built up a large collection of sets, costumes and cast members.

Step 7: Step 7: Let Them Play!

Encourage your child to tell you the story they are creating as they put up the clings. Be prepared to help them out if they get stuck, in their storytelling - perhaps the Dragon needs a purple hat to wear or the prince rides in a helicopter.

If you print up enough parts and pieces, the stories can go on for quite a while.

Enjoy!