A mitten-shaped puppet promotes hands-on fun and creativity with preschoolers. The puppet is easy to make with craft foam and fun to use for pretend play.

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Puppets are a wonderful addition to your toolkit for promoting imaginative play.

• The words and actions kids use for their puppets support language skills and social interactions.

Homemade puppets are especially beneficial because kids get to be creative with their characters.

Puppets can represent family or friends, animals or pets, or become completely made-up characters.

This foam puppet is fun to make with everyday craft materials.

Mitten-shaped puppet for pretend play

In this craft, two mitten shapes are laced together to form a puppet. Lacing activities strengthen fine motor skills, and focus attention on small details.

The options to personalize your puppet are endless. Each puppet will have a unique character according to the accessories added by kids.

 Related: Cardboard box puppet theater

Supplies for puppet craft

• craft foam sheet
  
  
• shoelace
  
  
• hole punch

Craft foam is a nice material for a puppet as it is flexible, durable and has a soft texture. It's easy to work with and comes in a variety of colors.

Materials for finishing a puppet will vary depending on the imagination of the puppet maker.

• Yarn for hair
  
  
• Craft eyes
  
  
• Markers for drawing facial features
  
  

Instructions for puppet

1. Trace your hand (or your child's hand) onto newspaper or cardboard  to make a template for the mitten puppet .

The template should be slightly larger than your child's hand when you cut it out.

2. Transfer the pattern onto the foam sheet with chalk.

3. Hole punch the mitten pattern first to use as a template. You will need an even number of holes.

4. Place the template onto the foam mitten cutout. Transfer the positions of the holes to the foam mitten with a pencil or marker. Hole punch around both foam mitten cutouts. 

5. Lace the two sides together with a shoe lace or narrow ribbon.

6. Finish your puppet with craft eyes, foam cut-outs or any other craft materials you have on hand, or draw features with colored markers.

Role-play familiar and made-up stories with your new newly created characters. 

Need an easy puppet theatre?

Set two or three chairs side by side. Drape a blanket or sheet over the chairs. Kids stand or crouch behind the makeshift theatre curtain. 

Puppets and theaters on Puppets Pinterest board.