There once was a lady who wanted to be a mother. She wanted to fill her heart with love. She patiently waited and waited for a long time.

Then one day a gypsy woman knocked on her door. She told the woman to wear this dress and the children will come. She wore the dress and waited again.

Over time the dress became poofy and ragdolls started falling out. There were so many that she had to start giving them away to nearby children.

She did keep one rather special one who filled her heart will love.

The End

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Make a paper toy to go along with the story!

Instructions:

1. Print out the following PDF: paper ragdoll toy
2. Cut around around the baby shapes (sorry no guidelines!)
3. Double up with a blank piece of paper and cut around the lady
4. Add glue around the lady’s dress to create a pocket
5. After it dries put dolls in and let them fall out!

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The children coming out from under Mother Ginger’s dress in The Nutcracker was such a memorable part for me as a kid!  Here is a beautiful picture book edition…

The Nutcracker by E. T. A. Hoffman illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger (love her!)

For nearly two hundred years, E.T.A. Hoffmann’s tale of the Nutcracker has enchanted readers, inspired artists and composers, and delighted audiences around the world. In cities and towns everywhere, children thrill to annual performances of Tchaikovsky’s classic Christmas ballet about a girl named Marie who helps a wooden nutcracker defeat an evil army of mice, and is rewarded by a visit to the magical dream world, the Land of Toys.
Lisbeth Zwerger’s stunning, all-new interpretation on The Nutcracker, adapted from the original Hoffmann tale, rounds out the story depicted in the ballet, exploring the background of the feud between the Nutcracker and the seven-headed Mouse King, the true role of the mysterious Drosselmeier, the tragic fate of Princess Pirlipat, the spell cast by Mistress Mousie that is finally broken by loyal Marie, and the satisfying, happily-ever-after conclusion to the great battle and fantastic journey. In pictures filled with wit and whimsy, drama, mystery, and magic, Lisbeth Zwerger transports us to the darkest reaches and brightest beauty of this fairy-tale world (Amazon description).

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This post is link-up with It’s Playtime at Kids Activities Blog!  Check it out!  This week is a great Practical Tips for Moms recap!

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