Wooden Stackable Dolls: Handcrafted toys that inspire imagination
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Wooden Stackable dolls: Understanding the craft, culture, and childhood benefits
Wooden stackable dolls: what are they, where are they made and much more besides. Stackable Dolls originate from Russia and renowned for having a doll inside a doll inside a doll. Typically, there are 4 to 6 dolls in each set and the biggest doll is 5 to 7 inches high. There are several different names for Russian dolls including 'matryoshka' and 'babushka.' The word ‘babushka’ originates from Russia and means grandmother, and the original doll sets featured an old lady in traditional attire as the biggest doll, with other family members depicted in order of seniority. Nowadays, there are many different genres including Russian fairy tales, Russian Ballet, US icons, historical figures, modern designs, and a wide range of animals including cats, birds and safari. They also feature specific holidays such as Christmas or Easter.
Stackable Dolls: where are they made?
Wooden stackable dolls are made in Russia from Linden wood, because of its easy to carve and durable qualities. The dolls are handmade on lathes before being hand finished and coated with a non-toxic, water-based lacquer to protect the paintwork. Finally, the main doll should be stamped to show where it was made it and proof of authenticity. Unsurprisingly, the internet is flooded with cheap imitations which serve a purpose, but they’re not the same. For example, many Chinese imitations are made from plywood and MDF. Plywood is exceptionally strong, but it doesn’t produce as good a finish as Linden wood, and it easily splinters. MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) is very durable, but once again, it doesn’t produce as good a finish as Linwood, and the paintwork cracks very easily.
Why are Wooden Stackable Dolls popular with kids?
As a child, I spent hours taking apart a doll, before carefully putting it back together again. And without knowing it at that time, I was developing my hand/eye coordination and learning how to think logically. Furthermore, that doll made me curious, and want to know more about other cultures, travelling, and the world in general. Children have fertile imaginations and its very important to encourage creativity and unearth their talents. Everyone is blessed with a talent; the challenge is to discover it.
How do traditional Russian toys benefit kids?
Nowadays, there are major concerns over the negative impact of technology upon all of us, but especially children. A cursory look around any café and you are likely to see couples, sat in complete silence, staring blankly at their cell phones. The world is literally at our fingertips on the hand, whilst on the other, loneliness has become an epidemic. Many of us can remember a time before the internet and computers, but children can’t. They have been brought up with technology and are unable to contemplate a world without it. Unfortunately, there are negative impacts, such as screen addiction, attention deficit disorder and the inability to connect with others. Therefore, it is essential to stimulate young minds, encourage interaction with others, and offer a fun alternative to their screen. There are various ways to do this, including playing with stackable dolls.
