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February 22, 2016 6 Comments

Guatemalan Worry Dolls Lesson and Art Project

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Inside: Read this book about Guatemalan worry dolls with your kids and have them make their own Guatemalan worry dolls to help calm their anxiety and address their worries.

My 6-year-old won’t go into some rooms in our house alone, won’t ride in the car without car-sick bracelets, and forces me to watch television every night after she goes to bed so the sound drowns out any house noises. We’re dealing with anxiety over here, and it has been a struggle to find ways to talk with her about her fears in a way that doesn’t freak her out.

The Art Curator for Kids-Guatemalan Worry Dolls

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I recently went to the library and checked out just about every book on anxiety and came across a gem called Silly Billy by Anthony Brown. The story is about a boy who worries a lot at night until his grandmother introduces him to Guatemalan worry dolls which he can tell his worries to make his worries go away.

This book was perfect for my 6-year-old. We had an illuminating discussion about our worries after we read it, and she shared with me stories from the night that she had never told me (like when Grandma and Grandpa stayed the night, and she thought she saw Grandpa’s hat moving by itself at night!).

I highly recommend the book with one caveat. The title! It is not SILLY to worry. That annoys me. I want my daughter to feel okay about her worries and feel heard and not feel like she is silly for worrying! I downplayed the title a lot when I read it to my girls.

The book even has a nice snippet of information about the history and cultural use of Guatemalan worry dolls.

Guatemalan Worry Dolls

Guatemalan Worry Dolls
Guatemalan Worry Dolls, By Leena, CC BY 3.0

Worry dolls are also called trouble dolls and originate from Guatemala. You tell your worry to the doll and put it under your pillow. The worry doll takes the worry from you and helps you sleep more peacefully.
When I was younger, I had a set of Guatemalan worry dolls that I used to put under my pillow, and I loved them. They were so cute, and it gave me some comfort to tell my worries to them even though I never believed they actually would take away my worries.

You can buy worry dolls on Amazon for cheap! I’m planning on getting some for my daughter to see if she wants to use them at night to make her feel better.

 

Worry Dolls Lesson and Project

Book and Discussion

After we read and discussed the book, I shared with the girls pictures of real worry dolls and talked about how they were made. We also found Guatemala on the globe and discussed the history of worry dolls a little bit.

Patterns Lesson

The Art Curator for Kids-Guatemalan Worry Dolls-make a worry doll

On the last page of the book, there are lots of pictures of Guatemalan worry dolls. I asked the girls to describe them. We talked about the bright colors, varied lines, and the patterns used on the Guatemalan worry dolls. Then, we each painted a pattern of our choosing on a piece of 8.5×11″ card stock.

Make a Worry Doll

The Art Curator for Kids-Guatemalan Worry Dolls-cut out doll

After we made the patterns, I drew a worry doll shape and cut it out. I would normally let my daughter do her own, but I took the easy way out this time. (I know, I know.)

The girls then added googly eyes and used sharpies to draw on the face. My 3-year-old then drew letters all over hers, because she loves writing letters.

The Art Curator for Kids-Guatemalan Worry Dolls-draw face

They each glued on strings with simple white glue for the hair. My 6-year-old could do this on her own, but my 3-year-old needed some help.

The Art Curator for Kids-Guatemalan Worry Dolls-string hair

After they were done, we picked some fabric from Nana’s stash of fabric scraps to make clothes! My 6-year-old didn’t want to cover up her pattern so she ended up choosing not to clothe it. My 3-year-old gave her a nice beige shirt and skirt.

The Art Curator for Kids-Guatemalan Worry Dolls-finished dolls

Overall, this was very a helpful lesson for my family. Since we made the dolls, we’ve used them to talk about emotions and worries, and this has opened up a deeper conversation with my anxious child about her fears.

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Filed Under: Art and Artists

 

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Reader Interactions

6 Comments

  1. Angel

    July 13, 2016 at 4:15 pm

    I am wondering why your daughter is so afraid in the evening. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t watch scary movies at this age. Have you ever considered having your house blessed? Perhaps she is “sensitive” to things no one else sees. I’m not talking about an active imagination. There is a reason she won’t go into certain rooms. I’m glad you listen to her. I think you are a good mom. I would suggest buying some “sage” light it, let it smolder and go from room to room saying prayers. Look up “smudging” it sounds far fetched, but consider it. Not sure how old this blog is. I was following Worry dolls because I make my own. Hope your little girl feels better by now. Be well. Angel from The Bay

    Reply to this comment
    • Cindy, The Art Curator for Kids

      July 13, 2016 at 10:31 pm

      Interesting idea! I was always a bit of a fearful person myself, so most of it is probably genetics.

      Thanks for your ideas. 🙂

      Reply to this comment
  2. Lisa

    March 2, 2018 at 8:06 pm

    My kids have a lot of anxiety too. I diffuse Young Living essential oils. It’s changed our lives!!

    Reply to this comment
  3. Kate

    October 9, 2018 at 9:20 am

    I made these with my students—the older kids made dolls out of pipe cleaners, yarn, and fabric scraps, and my younger students made paper dolls–they loved the activity! I agree about the book name, bummer!

    Reply to this comment
    • Cindy Ingram

      October 22, 2018 at 2:12 pm

      Awesome! Glad it worked out. 🙂

      Reply to this comment
  4. heber

    October 5, 2020 at 2:28 pm

    hi am guatemala is my state I like so much this picture

    Reply to this comment

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