My kids and I had so much fun making these puppets! “Can we make more and put on a puppet show?” they asked. I like the fact that they’re simple, and you can probably scrounge up the materials to make them around your house. Attach a string and watch them dance!
Prerequisite Skills:
Your child should be able to use his thumb in opposition with fingers to grasp.
Skills:
- Fold and crease paper.
- Fold paper in imitation.
- Fold and creases paper on a line multiple times.
- Use scissors to cut shapes.
- Thumb and forefinger grasping to hold paper pieces and tape or glue.
Materials:
- Construction Paper
- Paste or Glue
- Markers
- Scissors
- String or Yarn
Vocabulary:
Fold, paper, cut, eyes, nose, mouth, legs, hands, feet, dance, man, woman. (Shapes and colors.)
Methods:
- Cut four strips of construction paper. Fold back and forth like an accordion.
- Cut large circles or shapes to make a body and head.
- Cut hands and feet, eyes, nose, mouth, etc.
- Tape arms, legs, and head to body. Glue smaller parts to face.
- Attach a string.
- Have fun!
Ways to Simplify for Your Child:
Cut the body parts in advance, especially small parts like eyes and nose. Or, use markers to draw a face rather than cutting shapes. You could also set up an assembly line, with one learner cutting circles for the body, and other learners folding the paper strips.
Other things to teach:
Colors, shapes, comparing lengths, counting folds, comparing circle sizes, etc. Use the finished puppets for pretend play to encourage abstract thinking.