Maker Monday: Kids can make their own glove puppets

It’s that time of year when a pair of gloves tends to end up separated and alone. Hang onto those singles and use them for a fun and cool Maker Monday activity: homemade glove puppets.

If you have kids who are better than most at keeping track of their gloves, that’s OK, too. Make an inexpensive purchase of bright new gloves. We’ve found them for just $1 a pair at dollar stores.

You can use all sorts of objects to decorate your silly looking puppets, from pipe cleaner hairpieces to button noses to bead mouths. Foam sheets or felt can be cut into superhero capes, funny hats or alien tentacles.

It’s a great project to try on a winter day: Kids will find a handful of five wiggly puppets much more fun than single finger puppets when it comes to creative play.

A note to kid makers: Please work with a parent or caregiver on every project, including this one, and always be very careful when using tools of any kind, including scissors.

Maker Monday materials you’ll need:

• Gloves
• Glue gun
• Scissors
• Foam sheets
• Accessories: googly eyes, beads, markers, pipe cleaners, foam stickers, etc.

Instructions:

Step 1: Start with one finger. Choose the accessories you want to use for eyes, hair, mouth, etc.

Step 2: Have a grownup help with the glue gun to attach each piece to that first finger. (Older kids might be responsible enough to manage the glue gun with supervision.)

Step 3: Once the glue is dry and all the pieces are secure on the first finger, repeat the process with the next finger.

Optional: Doubling up two gloves 

In the photo above, you’ll see that the fuzzy tips were cut off the pink glove and a green glove was tucked inside. The fingertip of fuzz was used as a hilarious wig for a green-eyed creature on one finger. Magenta felt was used to create a mask and superhero cape for another. And a foam sheet was cut and colored with marker to make a kitty’s face with a pipe cleaner body.

Optional: Cut off all fingertips. As you’ll see in the photo above, fingerless glove allows the thumb to become a bald-headed guy. Pipe cleaners can be used for bead-topped alien antennae. Googly eyes help give more personality to these beings.

Different shaped beads can add to the design, creating an elephant-type nose, a walrus mustache or an expressive mouth.

Step 4: Once the glove puppets are completed, it’s time to think up some fun storylines for these ridiculous characters.

Want more at-home fun making beautiful things? Check out more Maker Monday projects right here.

Do you have an idea for a Maker Monday craft project? If so, please share it with Kidsburgh! Send your maker activities to info@kidsburgh.org.