Finger Puppet Show

Introduction

Help your child make finger puppets and write her own finger puppet story or play.

Materials:

• Gloves (Simple or gardening, any color)
• Yarn
• Glue
• Eyes (can be found at any craft store)
• Markers
• Pencil
• Newspaper
• Lined Paper
• Scissors (*Adults only)
  
  

Directions:

• Have your child place the glove on a piece of newspaper. This is to protect your table or workspace.
• Have your child glue yarn on the top of each of the five finger sleeves of the glove. This will be the hair for your puppets. (If your child only wants to make one puppet, simply have her only use one of the finger sleeves.)
• Then help your child glue the eyes.
• Your child can use yarn for the mouth or draw with marker.
• Your child can also add additional decorations to the puppet(s).

Take it further:

Finger Puppet Play

• Once your child is finished decorating and making her puppets, she can write a story or play for a puppet show. The puppet show could be about Thumbelina and her friends or a new story that your child comes up with. For younger children you may need to help write the words. You can also draw the letters by making dotted lines for her to trace.
• When your child is done writing the story and the finger puppets have dried, have her put on a puppet show for family and friends by reading and acting out what she has written with her puppets.

Finger Puppet ABC's

• For younger children, have your child write the alphabet for her finger puppet show. Have her write the letters, or trace your dotted letters. Then she can put on a puppet show by reading her alphabet. She could also make a puppet show to go along with Alpha Pig�s "ABC Sing with Me," song which can be found here.

Talk about it:

• In the story Thumbelina, Thumbelina did not know where her friend Thimble lived. She learned that she needed to ask for help so she could find Thimble�s house. What are some kinds of things that your child asks you for help with? Homework? Reaching for things that are too high for her? Talk about what kinds of things are important for your child to ask you for help with.