If you have an afternoon and need to entertain yourself or some kids you know, make a simple plate puppet.  It is very easy and the results can be great fun!

You will need:

1. 2 small paper plates for each puppet
2. A stapler
3. Scissors
4. Glue—Either white glue like Elmer’s or a low temp glue gun
5. Stuff—Buttons for eyes, yarn for hair, chenille sticks for hair, eyebrows, lips, craft foam shapes for added features, fabric scraps for scarves, ties, shirts, dresses, etc.

Take one of the two paper plates and fold it in half.  Cut along the fold.  Stack one of the half plates behind the full plate.  (photo of this) *  Staying on the rim, staple the outside edge together (about 8 staples). (photo of this) You should be able to slide your fingers between the two plates.  Now, your job is to decorate the front plate as if it were a face.  It can be an animal. You can use a cylinder for the nose or snout.  You can add ears by stapling* or gluing them on. You can make a human by adding eyes, a nose, ears*, beard, mustache, etc.  Your puppet will look better if you glue or staple the features on instead of using markers, crayons or pens.  Use your imagination!  Go Wild!  When you think your puppet is done, look at it carefully.  What else does it need to make it look its best?

When you have finished, you have two choices.  You can make another and another puppet.  Or you can put your puppet(s) on and dance a dance or sing a song or give a speech.

*Anything you add to the top edge of the head i.e. ears, hair, antenna, etc. can be put between the two plates before you staple them together.  They will appear to be growing out of the puppet’s head.

A Sock is a wonderful thing. It can warm a foot, that’s for sure. Better yet, it can become a zillion different critters. Sock puppets are easy to make.

All you need to do is start with a sock.

1. Put the sock on your hand so that your fingers and thumb are in the toe and the back of your wrist is in the heel.
2. To make room for your puppet’s mouth, make a slit in the sock between your thumb and fingers.
3. Cut an oval 3 inches across and 5 inches long. Using the first oval as a pattern, make 2 more ovals, one of posterboard or milk bottle plastic (something semi rigid), and one of fabric.
4. Glue the fabric oval to the posterboard (rigid) oval with white glue.
5. After the glue has begun to dry, fold them in half the short way.
6. Sew folded oval into your sock. Finally, your puppet can talk.
7. Now the fun begins! What your puppet becomes depends on you. Think eyes, hair, ears, hats, moustaches, beards, eyebrows, noses, collars, neckties, shirts and dresses.

These puppets are fun and extremely loveable. Try Them.