Ok. I am officially giddy over this post.

We've been up to a little something here in the studio...me and the ~~elves~~ kids have been feverishly creating a little Nutcracker world, and we're all a bunch of giddy little sugar plums over it.

I've been wanting to make these for a while, and I just couldn't wait any longer. This weekend we were decorating gingerbread houses and watching the Maurice Sendak version of the Nutcracker with the Pacific Northwest Ballet. And the kids were glued. We've been acting it out ever since!

So we made this Puppet Theater set. I say "we" because it was really a joint effort. The kids would play, and I'd draw it out, and we'd imagine together what all the characters looked like.

Here's a little video of us putting these together. It's taken with my iphone (note to self...always hold the phone horizontal, not vertical when making movies!)

I'm getting a little obsessed with imovie. I used it for the first time last night making this...and um....I can see a lot more of these in my future. So super easy and fun!

So. This is what we've done. we've made the these PDF downloads (like the Peter and the Wolf Puppet Theater kit that has been so, so popular) and I'm including the story and music clips below so that you can act out the story right here! There are 13 characters...enough for literally hours of play.

*Disclaimers:

1) Not all characters were created. I had to stop somewhere!

2) These should be cut out by an adult. They do have tiny parts, and so give yourself some time to carefully cut

3) This is a DOWNLOAD only. Instructions are included in the download for printing, brads, etc.

You can purchase the PDF download here.

So...are you ready? Get out your dolls....and play along!

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THE NUTCRACKER SUITE

(Simply play the music below each image while you are dancing to the scene with your paper puppet dolls)

ACT I

PARTY SCENE

The Overture

Clara’s family is having a Christmas party. She and her little brother Fritz dance and decorate the tree. Soon Clara’s mysterious Uncle Drosselmeyer arrives and gives her a special toy nutcracker. Fritz pretending to be a soldier, breaks the Nutcrackers jaw and the doll is broken. As Clara cries, kind Drosselmeyer ties his scarf around the Nutcracker and fixes him.

CLARA DANCES WITH HER NUTCRACKER

Clara and the Nutcracker

Clara Dances with her Nutcracker. Relieved her new toy is fixed, Clara dances with the Nutcracker and pretends he is really a hansom prince.

THE MOUSE KING AND NUTCRACKER FIGHT

The Battle

Clara falls asleep and shrinks to the size of the toys. The Mouse King appears and the Nutcracker comes alive to defend Clara. The Nutcracker fights bravely, but after a long battle the Mouse King knocks the Nutcracker to the ground. Clara throws her shoe at the Mouse King and distracts him long enough for the Nutcracker to kill him.

CLARA AND THE PRINCE DANCE

Pas de Deux

The Nutcracker becomes a hansom prince and dances with Clara.

TRAVEL THROUGH THE SNOWY WOOD

Waltz of the Snowflakes

The Nutcracker Prince and Clara travel through a snowy forest on the way to his Kingdom. Snow fairies and the Snow Queen dance all around them.

ACT II: LAND OF THE SWEETS

Clara and the Nutcracker Prince arrive in the Land of Sweets. Sweets from around the world come to dance in turn for Clara, and thank her for defeating the Mouse King.

ARABIAN DANCE

Arabian Dance

CHINESE DANCE

Chinese Dance

RUSSIAN DANCE

Russian Dance

WALTZ OF THE FLOWERS

Waltz of the Flowers

SUGAR PLUM FAIRY

Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy

FINAL WALTZ

Drosselmeyer joins Clara and the Prince as everyone dances together. Clara and the Prince are crowned rulers of the Land of Sweets. (In some early versions Clara stays in the Land of Sweets and the ballet ends. In others the prince takes her home, or she wakes up in bed with the doll in her arms realizing it was all a dream. Pick the ending you like best. I’ve never seen two identical productions. )

THE END

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Wasn't that fun? I am feeling like I'm 7 again...all tingly and magical. Gosh, I love this music!

I had so much fun making this....I might even add more characters next year, but this, I think, is plenty! And look! They even can double as Christmas Ornaments when you are done. Or for practicing your ballet positions in your spare time!