The passion for all things new has moved us away from the old standards. But the old standards are very often worth revisiting. Making sock puppets today can incorporate those new things to make simple puppets much more elaborate.
Even inventions like the glue gun make puppet making so much easier. Add the ideas that have been developed in crafts like scrapbooking and cardmaking. The embellishments are plentiful and can be added to each puppet to give them their own personality. With all of the new items available on the market today, your greatest tool in puppet making will still be your own imagination.
Making sock puppets begins by putting the sock on your hand. This gives you a good idea of placement for the features of your puppet and helps it begin to take life. Mark with a pencil where the eyes will go. If you are including a mouth mark the edges. Also mark the top of the head for hair and the sides if you are including ears.
Remove the sock from your hand and go for it. This is a great craft project to use up your scraps of trim and fabric. Each character can be dressed to reflect their specific role. Kids love to create puppets of each member of the family.
Help them brainstorm how the different props and embellishments can reflect the person they are creating.
You can add arms to your puppet by sewing or hot glueing a three inch square of fabric in half. This makes a tube. Stuff the tube and attach one end to the sock. Close up the other end by basting the edge and pulling the thread up to gather the opening. You can hot glue chopssticks to the 'hand'. This allows you to give it movement from below to the arms by moving the sticks. Add props by glueing them onto the hands.
Ideas for props
- Fisherman - Use a small twig and attach a string to the top of twig
- Baby - take an old pacifier and cut the nipple part off. Glue the remainder to the mouth
- Cook - Use cardboard from a cereal box. Cut a circle out for the bottom of the pan. Add a 1/8 inch strip all the way around the edge to have sides to your pan. Add a cardboard handle.
- Gardener - Cut a small rectangle of cardboard to have a flat side and a side with teeth. Glue the flat side to a small forked twig.
Encourage the kids to create plays with their puppets. Keep in mind that creativity is directly related to intelligence. This is a great learning game for the summer to keep their minds active.
