Always allow the children in your care to do as much of their craft projects that they can do safely by themselves. The 7-year-old in my care cut her own bunny and dog puppet templates and decorated them by herself. It’s fine that the puppet templates don’t match perfectly since she has pride in her creations and enjoys playing with her puppets.
You Will Need:
Puppet Template or Heavyweight Paper
Pencil
Felt
Scissors
Sharpies or Fabric Pens
Hot Glue or Fabric Glue
Self-Adhesive Rhinestone Stickers
What to Do:
1. I had the child trace her hand onto heavyweight paper to make a template for her puppets. Click here to see a basic puppet template from the 30minutecrafts web site. You can print the basic template onto heavyweight paper or have the child in your care make their own. Just make sure the template is big enough to fit the child’s hands. Cut out the template.
2. Trace the template onto two pieces of felt using a pencil or fabric pen and cut them out.
3. Allow the child to also cut out other features they want for their puppets from felt as well.
4. Have the child use fabric glue around the seams of one piece of felt which will be one side of the puppet leaving the bottom without any glue. Then place the other piece of felt onto the puppet matching the seams together. If using a hot glue gun keep a bowl of ice water near you in case any hot glue gets onto fingers. Then help the child glue the seams together leaving the bottom of puppet without any glue.
5. Once dry, allow the child to decorate their puppets using fabric pens or Sharpies and self-adhesive stickers. Use hot glue to attach decorations such as Pom Poms.
As an Amazon Influencer, I earn on qualifying purchases.
References:
Basic Hand Puppet Template from 30minutecrafts Web Site
Photos by Stephanie Felzenberg
Amazon Prime is a great way to buy children’s books and baby products because you get unlimited free two-day shipping, can borrow Kindle books, and instantly watch thousands of movies and TV episodes.
bethebestnanny.com 
Leave a comment