Making finger puppets is a simple and inexpensive craft project for children and adults alike. These toys can be crafted from colorful paper or felt, clean socks, or other materials around the house. Once the base is formed, finger puppets can be decorated with drawings, pieces of felt or paper, or thread. Generally, decoration involves either sewing, gluing on pieces, or directly drawing on the puppet base. Making a finger puppet also usually requires scissors, so children should be monitored and assisted during the project.
Some people make custom hand puppets based on their own imagination, but others get ideas from books or websites. If you find yourself with little idea of what to make, there are templates for both felt and paper hand puppets around the web. Remember that you are not limited to humans and animals; flowers, inanimate household objects, and celestial bodies can also be characters in a finger puppet story.
First, decide what materials the hand puppets will be crafted from and gather them up. You will also need scissors, needle and thread or glue, and accessories to decorate the base with. Regular glue is unreliable when working with felt finger puppets. Tacky glue can be substituted with hot glue, but this is not necessary and can be expensive if you do not already own a hot glue gun. If working from a template found on the Internet, print it and keep it nearby.
The second step is to make a base for your puppet. Take two pieces of paper or felt and glue or sew them together, leaving enough room to fit a finger inside. If you are creating a felt finger puppet, turn the newly crafted base inside out to hide the seam. For sock finger puppets, a small children’s sock is needed. You can tie off the tip of the sock with a rubber band to create a head or leave it as is to keep things simple.
Once the base is finished, it is time to decorate your finger puppet. You can stitch, draw, or glue on the face and hair of a finger puppet. Some people even purchase pre-made accessories like googly eyes, felt mouths, or animal parts. If using glue, give the finger puppet time to dry before playing with it. Finally, fit the puppet on your finger and determine if any final additions should be made before putting away the leftover crafting materials.