30 Apr Try at Home: Walking Puppets
Combining reading with playtime offers many benefits for early childhood development. It enhances vocabulary, improves motor skills, and adds different sensory experiences. Both reading and playtime are wonderful ways to create lasting bonds and memories for children and their caregivers.
Making walking puppets out of your favorite book characters, animals or even friends and family can create a new and fun experience while reading. Not only do they make storytime fun, they are a great way to explore imagination! You can make these puppets from your own original drawings, photographs, magazines or printed pictures.
To make Walking Puppets, you will need:
- Scissors
- Artwork of your choice
- Glue
- Cardboard, cardstock (even an old file folder or cereal box will work!)
- Cut out your drawing or artwork and glue it to a piece of cardstock or cardboard
- Cut two holes about ¼ inch (6 mm) apart at the base of the drawing where the legs should go. Just make sure the holes are big enough for fingers to poke through!
- Put your fingers through the holes to become your puppet’s legs!
Create several different puppets and have fun! You could even put on your own puppet show, retelling your favorite story or making one of your own!
For more creative projects, check out these books:
Preschool Art: Craft and Construction by MaryAnn F. Kohl
Art Play by Meredith Magee Donnelly
Nature Craft by Fiona Hayes
