Puppet Crafts
Kids of all ages love making puppet crafts of all kinds as well as playing with them, so I figured it was high time to add a puppet craft page to the site. You'll find lots of ideas that you can use as is or take the ideas here and use them as inspiration to make your own puppet craft idea.
If I've missed an important resource or project idea, please let me know.
Easier Puppet Crafts
Paper Bag Puppets - You'll find several easy ideas for making paper bag puppets on this page. Unfortunately, there's no templates, so you'll probably have to draw all the body parts on construction paper for the kids.
Owl and Turtle Puppets - These cute puppets are complete with fairly detailed templates to make pretty realistic puppets.
Shadow Puppets - My kids absolutely love playing with shadow puppets! You can easily make your own patterns for them, but I've also found three patterns that you can try: Squawking Parrot, Lanky Giraffe, and Toothy Alligator. These puppets use brads to hook the pieces together, but younger kids may have a hard time with that -- you could glue everything, or maybe just choose one hinge point to make it easier. The Toothy Aligator is my kids' favorite!
Paper Bag Puppets From DLTK - This is an extensive resource of 24 different paper bag puppets complete with templates that you can print out.
Juice Can Puppets - Kids love making these puppets for two reasons: one, the juice cans fit so well on their hands; and two, there are no rules for how the puppets are supposed to look. Plus, their cheap to make and the cans are made of cardboard or plastic, so you don't have to worry about sharp edges. Love those recycling projects!
Paper Bag Puppets with Templates - You'll find several paper bag animal puppets to choose from on this page and each includes a template so that you can just print out, color, cut out the pieces, and glue them on. Quick and easy for younger kids!
CD Daisy Puppet - This is a unique idea that younger kids will enjoy making and playing with. Make a daisy puppet out of an old cd, a paper plate, a sock, and a few other supplies.
People Puppets - These are puppets made from toilet paper tubes and craft sticks. They're really easy and the kids will have a lot of fun being creative. These are people, but I think it would also be fun to make aliens or monsters instead.
Finger Puppets - You'll find a variety of finger puppet ideas on this page... most of them are printables.
Shana Tova Bee Puppet - This is a really clever puppet idea! Although I believe that it was created to go along with a religious theme, don't let that stop you from using it for your own purposes!
More Challenging Crafts
Puppet Crafts Crafts From Danielle's Place - This page has several really clever Puppet craft ideas that will work well for older children. (Unfortunately, most of the puppet crafts here are far too complicated for the younger kids.) My favorite craft is the moose puppet!
Cereal Box Puppet - This is a clever idea for a puppet... but only older kids would be able to really "get it." You'll find full instructions on this page, but unfortunately there's no picture.
Paper Finger Puppets - These are very cute and highly detailed finger puppets that are just perfect for older children... Not to mention that they're inexpensive to make. They would be ideal for a classroom or scouting project.
Doubleheaders - I think these are very clever, but they will take some time to make. This would be ideal for a scout project. The fun of making these papier-mâché puppets is twofold -- kids can decorate them to look like their very own twin and then cast their doubles as stars in a show. I think it would be a lot of fun to make these and then use them in a special show put on for parents.
Bird Marionettes - Another really interesting idea! This bird marionette is made with pipecleaners and pom poms, and it really works when it's done!
