home sweet home

You Can Use That to Make a Puppet

“Don’t throw that in the trash, please” I said to my young daugther. “It can be used to create a puppet.”

I said these words many times when my children were young and the family wasn’t surprised to hear them. When my son was five years old he collected boxes and scraps for me to use to make puppets.

Because a puppet is anything that someone controls and uses to give an appearance of life, almost any household item can become a puppet. I know in my own ministry I have used things like boxes, mops and booms, and all kinds of other things to create my own puppets, and many others have done so as well.

Sock puppets are used all the time. They can be made easily using old items from around the house like socks, felt (for the mouth), buttons (for the eyes), yarn (for the hair), and just about anything else you want to use. Just use your thumb and fingers to make the mouth move.

For many puppets that you will make, buttons, sequins, or cut out felt will work just fine as eyes. If you want to, you can purchase eyes (the wiggly kind are popular) at a craft store for a reasonable price. Something like string, yarn, thread, or cord will be helpful for adding some hair to the puppet. Scraps of cloth, felt, ribbon, lace, or even paper can help with clothes and other finishing touches.

Grab two washcloths and sew them together like a mitten. Then embroider or glue a face on the palm of this “glove” for a clever hand puppet.

Finger puppets are easy and fun. Take an empty paper towel roll or toilet paper roll, cut in in smaller sections, and use crayons or markers to draw a face. You can even glue on items for the face if you’d like.

You can quickly make stick puppets with a cloth or handkerchief. Fill the center with cotton, wrap it up and tie it around a stick or a pencil. It will resemble the shape of a large lollipop with the ball on top of the stick.

What about that wooden spoon in the kitchen? By drawing a face on the bowl of the spoon, adding hair and a ribbon or bow tie, another puppet has been created.

Need a simple stage to hide behind while using your puppets? You can use a small table laid on its side, a chair, even a large piece of cardboard. It’s easy to find a suitable stage, just look around for objects that you can sit behind.

When making puppets all you really have to do is look through the house and use your creativity. You’re almost certain to come up with some great ideas, and it doesn’t take much before you’ll have your first puppets and show for the children.

Ann Shorb is a counselor, speaker, and writer. Her website includes several free puppet skits that can be downloaded for your own use, plus a book of scripts that can be purchased.