Paper Baboushka or Matryushka Doll

Paper Baboushka/Matryushka Doll

The matryushka dolls is a Russian nesting doll - the ones which open up to reveal another smaller doll inside. One variation of the doll is the baboushka doll - Baboushka is a figure in Russian folklore who is said to have followed the Three Wiseman looking for the Christ-child. So make this craft to go with the story, to learn more about Russia or to simply learn about sizes and bigger than/smaller than!

Paper Matryushka Doll

Print off Template 1 and Template 2 for just one large doll. For five nesting dolls print Template 3 and Template 4 as well. Print onto stiff card or attach paper to cereal box card to make sure that the doll is firm enough to stand on its own.
Colour and decorate each doll with flowers, stripes, polka-dots and bright colours. For young children, add a flower sticker to the front for additional decoration. For ideas on some of the ways Matryushka dolls are painted and decorate check out Born in the USSR - Nesting Dolls.
Cut out. Fold top tab of both front and back in and glue so that top of heads meet.
Fold bottom tabs of both sides in and glue so that they overlap and allow doll to stand. Experiment with the amount of overlap needed for doll to stand on its own.
Stand all five dolls in a row or sit inside each other to put away!

Design Your Own Baboushka/Matryushka Doll

Print out Template.
Add detail for face, hair and clothes. Decorate.
Construct as above.

Some On-line Versions of the Baboushka Story

Baboushka

A print version of the book I have read to the girls is Arthur Scholey's Baboushka.

There are some important spiritual lessons that can be learned from this story so take the time to discuss together:

Why did Baboushka miss out on seeing Baby Jesus?
What are some of the excuses we may use that prevent us from meeting and accepting Jesus?
Can you think of a Bible character who was too busy to spend time with Jesus? (Martha)
What did Jesus tell her was the most important thing she should be doing?

For more information on these dolls see Matryoshka - Soul of Russia at About.com.

Want more crafts and resources about Russia? Check out Learn More about the Euro-Asia Division (on this site).