Years ago I created a bunch of crafts, some of them were for my daughter and her friends and some of them were for the library summer reading club which I volunteered for several years. I decided to help parents and caregivers out while we are stuck in isolation with COVID-19 by posting some of these crafts.
Today’s post is finger puppets. For this craft you will need:
- a printer to print the patterns
- 2 sheets card stock or cereal box cardboard
- fun foam or construction paper or felt
- markers or colored pens
- low temp glue gun or white glue
- bonus – googly eyes, pipe cleaners, sequins
This is the link is for the pattern: Pattern 1 and Pattern 2. First you need to print the patterns on to cardstock paper. If you don’t have cardstock you can print them on normal paper and trace them on to cereal box cardboard or old christmas cards. Note: work with a glue gun should be supervised or done by a teenager or adult. If you use white glue the puppets will have to dry before being used.
This is the link is for the how to video. I would like to thank my friend’s twins for helping to create the demo video. They are staying with us as their Mom works in an essential service and their Dad works on a construction site that has been designated essential. Staying isolated and safe!
If you can’t watch the video. These are the written instructions. First you will cut out the patterns on the cardstock (this is best done by an older sibling or parent). Then using the patterns and a pen or pencil trace the pattern onto the fun foam. Cut out the shape, cutting the arms last. There is a slot on some of the puppets. They need to be cut by an adult or teenager with a exacto knife (or a sharp knife). Use a cutting mat or cutting board and lay down your cut out shape and cut the slot. Then it is ready to decorate. Add eyes and draw shapes for mouths, whatever you want. Then you can assemble the puppet simply by inserting the tab into the slot. The cat and monkey have no slot so they are wrapped around into a tube, glue the overlap and bend out the tail. The cat can be made into a lion with the mane / hair. The elephant has no arms but you can bend his ears or trunk if you want. The butterfly has two parts- wings and a body. After decorating the two parts , glue the wings behind the body.