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Sock puppets are easy to make at home with whatever you have lying around. It’s a perfect way to utilize some of those unmatched socks in the overflowing lost sock basket I know you have in your closet, and the outcome is a valuable tool for play and storytelling—a puppet!
My mama, also an art teacher, is very talented at facilitating puppet making. Right now she is doing a project with her middle school students via distance learning and she agreed to let me share her process.
Materials
- An old sock (maybe not too old)
- Odds and ends from around your house (use what you have)
- A needle and thread
- A hot glue gun
Step One: Stuff the Sock
Stuff the back of your sock with toilet paper, or real stuffing if you have it, to give the puppet form.
Step Two: Design and Glue Facial Features
You and your child can design separate facial features using paper, markers, tape and scissors. Try some different features out until you uncover the right fit for your puppet, then hot glue them to Mr. Sock.
Duct tape works well as a facial feature method because you can cut and stick it wherever you want it, but pull it back off if it doesn’t look right.
The eyes and nose can be made of found objects, layered together with a glue gun.
Step Three: Hair
There are many ways to give your puppet hair. One way is to simply use string or yarn as my mom did in these photos.
Hot glue the hair to your puppet’s head, add any other finishing touches, and you’re all done!
I hope you have time to play with puppet making using this method. It has so many possibilities, and the dramatic play that ensues will be fun for the whole family. Enjoy!
