HOW TO MAKE PUPPETS
Do you remember the days you spent making puppets? I sure do! I loved making paper bag puppets the most!
My mom always had a large package of brown paper lunch bags; these were the foundations of most of my puppets. It took me some time to figure out how much I could draw under the flap and still make sure the flap covered it when closed!
Puppets are loved by children all over the world. They are all-in on creating simple puppets, they like to develop voices for their puppets, and they enjoy watching puppet shows put on by others.
A puppet can be a representation of anything and imaginations run wild when kids design their own puppets!
Types of Puppets
The following is a list of the various types of puppets ranging from very simple to very complex, and you can find great ideas for making unique and fun simple puppets at the links below on this page.
The types of puppets are:
- Sock Puppets
- Paper Bag Puppets
- Craft Stick Puppets
- Plastic or Wooden Spoon Puppets
- Glove or Mitten Puppets
- Animal or Picture Puppets
- Paper Plate Puppets
- Pipe Cleaner Puppets
- Marionette or String Puppets
- Rod Puppets
- Shadow Puppets (complex)
- Ventriloquist Dummy Puppets (complex)
- Carnival Puppets (complex)
Sock Puppets
Let’s talk a bit about one particular puppet: the sock puppet. These puppets are a very simple kind of hand puppet, and we love them because you reuse old socks in making them.
We at Needlepointers.com love to reuse to save the environment! Check this page for more ideas to use socks!
Have one sock that is missing its partner? Well, there you have it; the foundation for your puppet!
Making sock puppets can involve many skills such as cutting, sewing, and gluing to add items to your sock to make it into a person, animal, or whatever strikes your fancy.
Learn more about making a sock puppet with this special tutorial.
Benefits of Puppet Play
Early Childhood is the perfect time for gaining skills from puppet play, although there are benefits of using puppets and watching puppet shows for all ages. Some of the greatest benefits are below.
- Improve Motor Skills - Manipulating puppets encourages movement which will improve fine motor skills.
- Stimulate Imagination - Creating puppets and creating puppet shows are ways to stimulate the imagination.
- Develop Language Skills - Puppets can increase communication and language skills through oral speaking.
- Social and Behavior Development - Through role-playing children can learn how to act and behave when with other children and adults.
- Teach Etiquette - Learn to say "please", "thank you", "excuse me".
- Music Appreciation - Puppets make the perfect companion for helping to teach children a new song and song gestures. Puppets can make marching and dancing to music more interesting.
- Encourage Creativity - Children can use puppets to come up with stories and creative ways to solve problems.
- Boost Confidence - Puppets give children the confidence to read or talk out loud when around other people or in class.
Now that you know about the types of puppets and their benefits, it’s time to check out the rest of our page. We have many, many links to different types of puppets for you and the kiddos to make.
Enjoy making and using the puppet ideas below!
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Celebrate the intergalactic arrival of DreamWorks with this puppet.
Joann
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This stick puppet is sure to be a hit during puppet play. The idea should inspire you to make many, many more.
By Courtney Constable at diy.com
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Download the printable and make some fun animal puppets for arts and craft time.
Miniature Masterminds
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These puppets have moveable parts. Make a fish wiggle as it swims, a monkey climb a tree, and have puppet people move their arms!
Aunt Annie
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These spacemen are so fun to make and play with! With the free printable template, these puppets are easy to make.
Kids Craft Room
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Make a Ballerina Marionette. When you pull the string, the arms and legs move!
Enchanted Learning
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Sew a cute bunny hand puppet as a gift for a special child for Easter with this tutorial.
My Poppet Makes
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This tutorial features cat family puppets featuring Mummy, Daddy and kitten is three times the fun!
Easy Crafts for Kids
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With the simple free pattern, felt, scissors and glue, these felt hand puppets can be made.
Funroom.com
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These Popsicle stick puppets are quick, easy, and fun for kids of all ages.
Easy Peasy and Fun
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With some basic craft supplies and clothespins, you can create cute clothespin puppets for your child to enjoy. Let your imagination go wild!
Joann
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Make a snowman (or other characters) using a spring clothespin, some paper, markers and wiggle eyes!
https://www.needlepointers.com/Michaels-SnowmanClothespinPuppet.jpg
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Crochet up some cute finger puppet figures with these free patterns.
Joann
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This deer paper puppet craft brings some good old-fashioned 2-D fun. You will love using them to tell fun stories of the holidays or put on puppet shows set in the woods.
Ottawa Mommy Club
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Download the free dinosaur and egg template and make them into stick puppets.
Three Kids, Three Cats and a Husband
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Does your kid love dinosaurs? You can craft a no-sew dinosaur puppet using just a glove, a little felt, and a few other crafting supplies.
A Thrifty Mom
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Kids can color and cut out their own dinosaur puppet using this printable template.
My Little Day
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In this activity, you can learn how to make your own shadow puppet, and put on a show with a variety of dinosaurs.
Natural History Museum
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Learn all about dinosaurs while coloring these awesome dinosaur coloring pages. Cut them out and add craft sticks to make them into easy stick puppets.
First Palette
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These stick puppets are so easy to make and can be played with right away because no glue is used. So not need for drying time.
My Bored Toddler
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Micheal's has some fun Finding Dory images to download and color for free, add them to some popsicle sticks for a fun puppet show.
Michaels
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These adorable dragon finger puppets are a salute to Toothless and Light Fury from How to Train Your Dragon. Learn how to make them at this website.
Crafts by Amanda
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Keep little fingers busy with this trio of foam finger puppets for Easter - a chick, a lamb and a bunny.
Craft Bits
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Learn how to make moon, unicorn, and star finger puppets.
Joann
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Kids can learn all about shapes while making this easy family of stick puppets and their home.
Frist Palette
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Felt sheets, googly eyes, black marker and glue are all you need to make some felt finger puppets with these instructions.
Joann
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These pom pom finger puppets are easy and fun for children to make and a great way to encourage kids' imaginative play and storytelling.
Joann
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Download the free printable and follow the instructions to make your own fish clothespin puppet.
Kid Lab
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Make some clothespin puppets using the free printable with a fox, an alligator, a giraffe, and a bird.
Delia Creates
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In honor of Kermit the Frog, create this frog hand puppet with this free tutorial and pattern.
Glue Sticks
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How to make a puppet marionette with Toilet Paper Rolls, paper, paint and a few other basic craft supplies.
Red Ted Art
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Recycle an old or mismatched socks into a giraffe sock puppet.
Craft Jr
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These puppets can be made with leftover fabric scraps and other craft and sewing items. Easy project for parent and child to do together.
Craft and Fabric Links
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This storybook craft is perfect for preschoolers! Read the story and have the kids make and act out the story with these puppets.
Ottawa Mommy Club
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Enjoy creative playtime with our Bat, Ghost and Pumpkin puppets. A free crochet pattern.
Yarnspirations
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Made mini pumpkins and Frankensteins! After the crafts dry the kids can put on a Halloween-themed puppet show with them.
Crafty Morning
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With this free pattern, crochet Good Witch, Mean Witch and Flying Monkey puppets for some creative playtime.
Yarnspirations
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Kid's will have fun creating sock puppets with old or mismatched socks and some basic craft supplies and things you already have around your home.
Needlepointers.com
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These fun bunny finger puppets will keep the kids entertained and are a no-mess craft.
Family Focus Blog
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Lots of puppet ideas - Sock Puppets, Canvas Puppets, Paper Bag Puppets, Stick Puppets, Marionettes, and Hand Puppets, Bent Spoon Puppets and Puppets from Cups.
Danielle's Place
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Jazz up some stick puppets with sequins. So much fun and sparklely.
Six Time Mommy
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How to make these hand puppets from felt with this printable pattern.
Joann
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This mermaid paper bag puppet craft is such a fun paper bag craft idea for toddlers and preschoolers!
Messy Little Monster
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Making finger puppets requires very few supplies and it’s a great indoor activity to do with the kids. Here is a free tutorial with a free pattern for making minion finger puppets.
Sustain My Craft Habit
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Winter is almost over and perhaps you have some mittens without a mate. Or mittens that the kids have outgrown. Don't toss them! Make them into puppets by reading this blog post.
Crafts by Amanda
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Do you have a single sock missing its mate? Turn the sock into a fun monster sock puppet craft.
Jinxy Kids
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With Noodle & Pals Dancing Paper Puppets print out, kids will enjoy dancing and singing along to the Noodle & Pals hit “My Happy Song?”
Super Simple
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How to make paper bird finger puppets with scrap paper.
Red Ted Art
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Very simple puppets made from small paper lunch bags. You can also make a raccoon, dog, cat, rabbit, bunny, mouse, pig, or panda.
Enchanted Learning
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Dozens of paper bag puppets you and your kids can make with these free instructions.
DLTK's Sites Growing Together
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These paper cup puppets are easy to make and will create a lot of imaginative role play.
The Tiptoe Fairy
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This free craft project makes a super easy dog craft for all lovers. Learn how to make this fun hand puppet.
Red Ted Art
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Your fingers are the legs (or trunk) of these simple paper puppets. You can make the entire cast of a nursery rhyme or fairy tale in just a few minutes, and then put on your own show.
Enchanted Learning
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Follow this free crochet pattern to create animal puppets.
Yarnspirations
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A ghost seems like the right spooky character to turn into a puppet at Halloween. Here is a free tutorial with a free template.
Scratch and Stitch
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How to make a polar bear finger puppet. Free template.
I Heart Crafty Things
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Wintertime is the perfect time of year to teach kids about the animals that live in the arctic. One animal is a polar bear. Make a polar bear puppet to go along with the lesson.
Simple Everyday Mom
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Here is a fun and easy paper pterodactyl puppet craft for kids. The template to make this paper puppet is free!
The Craft Train
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This scarf will keep them warm and offer an opportunity for some creative play.
Yarnspirations
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Make an elephant, cat, monkey or bunny puppet - printable picture, color, cut and attached to lunch size paper bag.
Sunnie Bunnie ZZ
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If you’re looking for something to keep the kids occupied, how about making a queen puppet with them with these free instructions.
In Our Spare Time
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Blast Off! Kids can enjoy pretending to be in outer space after making some rocket ship stick puppets.
Glued To My Crafts
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Your kids can become a character in their own fairy tale with this creative craft.
Michaels
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Make bath time a fun time with this friendly puppet-style scrubby!
Yarnspirations
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Do you know the song "Baby Sharks"? These printable shark puppets are great for singing Shark Songs, or for using with playdough or for imaginative play.
Pickle Bums
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An adorable sheep craft that is fun to make and fun to play with too.
Big Family Blessings
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Oink. Cluck. Moo. In celebration of spring, make some simple farm animal stick puppet friends.
The Honest Company
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Learn how to make a sock puppet.
Legends and Lore
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Lost sock? Make this sock puppy from a single sock.
Little Black Teapot
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Make some wild and wacky spoon critters puppets.
Crafts For Kids
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How to make a homemade puppet theatre.
Let's Play Music
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Create and decorate a little puppet theater out of a cardboard box. Then make some simple craft stick puppets to star in the show!
Crafts by Amanda
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Want to make a puppet theatre for home or in the classroom? Here is our DIY tutorial on how to build a sturdy puppet theatre from wood!
Adventure in a Box
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This is a really simple-to-make Puppet Theatre.
Ziggity Zoom
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Want to put on a puppet show! Make your own puppet theatre with these instructions.
Puppet Show Place
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Learn how to make a puppet theatre for under $5.
Childhood 101
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Make stick puppets to tell the story of The Three Little Pigs.
Joann
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