Paper Puppets for Kids or Just for Fun

So I had this idea.  I wanted to make a personalized puppet for each of the kids.  I started looking up the different types of puppets out there, keeping in mind it needs to be simple, cheap, and kid-friendly.  

This one would be awesome to make for an ornament.

I found a few different options.  One being a paper puppet.  Do not get this confused with the paper bag puppet.  The one I'm talking about is a puppet, usually made out of paper, that the legs and arms are cut out and attached so they can move.  Here's a picture of the legs for a Day of the Dead skeleton paper puppet.

Not very Christmasy, but still it's good to explain how it works.  http://www.inside-mexico.com/titere.htm

http://www.etsy.com/listing/76415944/3-piglets-circus-movable-paper-doll-set

These are actually for sale for $22.  They're so cute.  The shop is called ArtistinLaLaLand on www.etsy.com

I think I may use some cardboard to make some of these little paper puppets.  I have a few cereal boxes I can cut up and they will do nicely.  Then I will cut out my pieces and paint them white, so I have a blank canvas.  Then I'll paint them up and attach them with brads.  I'll make a few accessories, and voila.

A fun and easy present for my lil kiddies and their cousins.  I think I'll need to come up with a theme.  Something fun like the circus theme that ArtistinLaLaLand used.  I'll post pics when I have something together.  Happy Puppet-Making!  LOL

My Daughter loves Puppets

Lately, my daughter has started watching this show Oobi. It's a show where hands are the puppets. They have little eyes on there hands on a ring or something, and sometimes they have a little accessory like a hat or a bow. My daughter really likes this show so I started to imitate it with my own hand which of course she loves as well. Now she comes up to me and says, "Let me talk to Puppet," usually I am in the middle of doing something when she asks so I'll say something like, "Puppet's helping Mommy do something right now, hold on." It's really cute though.

Anyway, I thought since she liked these puppets so much it might be fun to make one for her. So, I came up with a little pattern for a puppet. I like to call it pocket puppet, for obvious reasons. It's small. I made it with just a few scraps of felt, cardboard, glue, and thread. I would imagine someone could make this in less than an hour. It is very customizable too. I'm probably going to make some more in different colors, genders, themes, etc.


Another great thing about it is that I can use it or my daughter can use it, so it's pretty versatile.