The Very Best Sock Puppet

This is a craft recommended for parent and child ages 4 and up.

Sure it’s easy to make a sock puppet, but have you ever made one with a perfect hand insert?

I came up with this neat little trick when I was a young teen and have used it ever since when making a sock puppet.

Things you will need…

Socks – Buttons or Googly Eyes – Yarn – Hot Glue – Scissors – Cardboard – Any other face or hair makings of your choice

The first thing you will want to do is cut a piece of cardboard ( I used the wings off a box) into 6 by 3 inch rectangles. Bend in half creating a mouth shape.

Cut small strips of cardboard. Have your child hold the pre-cut rectangle in their hand as they would hold their puppet and bend strip over their finger as shown to make the needed size… do the same for thumb. Mark on either side of the finger so you can remember where the bend goes.

Inside out your sock – This is very important – You want it inside out. This is a parent step so feel free to have your child watch

Hot Glue Finger slots onto the top and bottom of your mouth piece close the the fold where your child’s fingers will sit. I recommend not only hot gluing it on, but also reinforcing around each side so it seals a nice strong bond as seen below.

Now, squeeze hot glue onto the inside of one side of the mouth and place sock inside making sure it’s smooth. Pull extra sockage out the sides. Repeat on top. What you should have is a mouth piece hot glued on the outside of your sock.

Inside out and pull at corners of mouth a little to form a smile

Decorate puppet as wanted and have fun doing it! be creative and silly!

To create a wig for your puppet wrap yarn around your fingers until nice and thick. Tie a small strand around the center and pull tight with a knot. Cut yarn off underside of your hand and then trim as wanted. Leave long, or cut short… your child is the beautician.

Firefly/Electric Votive Lantern Jars

A fun and inspiring craft for you and your little one. Enjoy creating this tissue paper jar… tissue paper will become bright and colorful with blinking fireflies inside and behind the colors.  Children will enjoy being hands on with this project. Encourages fine motor skills and as always solidifies the bond between parent and child. The kind of bond that forms from working one on one.

Recommended for ages 4 and up

{{Supply List }}

* Jars from your recyclables * Modge Podge * Left over tissue paper

* Hammer and Nail * Left over spray paint * Pipe Cleaners * Glow in the dark Pony Beads *

{{ Step #1 }} Parent Step – Hammer 6-8 holes in the lid of your jar, spray paint and set aside to dry.

{{ Step #2 }}  Apply a thin layer of Modge Podge on your jar in small sections at a time so that your glue doesn’t dry while you are working. Let your child rip, tear, and apply tissue paper to the section that has been modge podged. Help your child smooth out their tissue paper if needed by applying another layer of modge podge over top. Repeat until entire jar is covered.

{{ Step #3 }} Let your child thread a pipe cleaner with your glow in the dark pony beads, making sure to leave 2 inches on each side free of beads. You will need this area to twist handle onto jar. While your child is doing this, take two pipe cleaners and twist the ends together creating one large pipe cleaner…

{{ Step #4 }}  Bend your child’s beaded handle into a “U” shape and with one hand hold it onto the lip of the jar.

{{ Step #5 }}  Take the pipe cleaner your lengthened and while holding beaded pipe cleaner with one hand… take your other hand and wrap the longer piece around the entire jar 2xs and weave in. Be sure to leave the area your child did not bead out so that you can fold it up and twist around itself.

{{ Step #6 }}  Fold up un-beaded ends and twist around itself, this secures your handle to the jar.

{{ Step #7 }} Enjoy! let the little one stay up a little later and enjoy going into the yard on an adventure. I have seen fireflies early this year, so keep your peepers open. When there are no fireflies, place an electric votive candle inside and take a dark adventure walk with your child through the yard. Point out all the differences between the things you see in the dark with those that you see in the day.

Electric votives can be purchased in the candle section of your local craft store. These items are flameless and safe for little ones. Just turn them on, place them inside, and enjoy!

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Create patriotic windsock!!

 

 

Meet mysterious author, James DeSalvo, at Cover Kid Event, Sun, April 10th or Sun, May 1st

Connie Cobbler: Toy Detective

“Author James DeSalvo has penned an engaging mystery for young adults in his intelligent and humorous new work Connie Cobbler: Toy Detective. The titular sleuth is a private eye and a soft toy doll, who has retreated from the limelight of her successful television acting career after a tragedy on the set. Connie and her amusing cast of characters are reminiscent of Strawberry Shortcake, that 1980s dessert-themed doll and her gaggle of friends. In Connie’s case, she is friends with an assortment of Pastry Pals, including Tiffany Tart, Priscilla Pie, Debbie Danish and Tracy Turnover.”

from the ForeWord Clarion Review

I already love this guy, James DeSalvo.  His website is sketchy, his book has little bio information, and he is keeping his private life a mystery.  Is this brilliant marketing or just a busy schedule?  His blogs run no more than a sentence or two, and chronicles more or less the frustrating steps to self-publish.  While we don’t know anything more about this fellow than he lives in Fishkill, I like how he has fashioned this story with character names like Tiffany Tart.  Join all of us at the next HV Parent Cover Kids Event and meet this mysterious new book author who writes like this, “Unable to save her friend and spurred on by grief, Connie Cobbler turned away from show business and became a hard boiled, root beer swigging private detective, dedicating her life to protecting the toys of Toy Town.”

I gotta meet this guy.  Ttyl, mj

 

Meet James DeSalvo at our Cover Kid event, Poughkeepsie Mall, Sunday, April 10; and at Middletown’s Galleria on Sunday, May 1  from 11 am – 3 pm.

British store berated for selling padded bras marketed towards 7 year olds

When I read our daily news feeds there are some headlines that really catch my eye. This was one of them and not in a good way. This may be a personal question, but it’s one for all the ladies out there. How old were you when you had the bra talk with your mom? Or, went shopping for your first training bra? I know for sure that I was not 7 years old.

With the media images constantly telling us women and girls what true beauty consists of, I believe that these retailers should be absolutely ashamed with themselves. Especially marketing a product like padded bras and bikinis to children! What were they thinking? How could they possibly think this is a good idea? Let children just be children, they have a lifetime to grow up. What do you think? Am I overreacting? Or, do you also believe that this outrageous? What would you do if your favorite store started selling a product like this one, would you boycott them? Sound off here!

Start planning an Earth Day adventure now

In our latest April issue, we did a few stories on family activities for Earth Day. This day is great for teaching your children long-lasting life lessons. You can teach them that it is important to respect the earth not on this day, but everyday. Check out our article here, but I also found another way to enjoy nature. Hiking! It’s one of my favorite activities and something that I used to do with my dad all the time. 

On April 24, 2010 Hudson Highlands Nature Museum in Cornwall will be hosting the 4th Annual Hike-A-Thon in support of the museum’s mission to create responsible caretakers of the environment. Those attending can make a $20 donation to Team Grant to join the executive director’s team or sign up and start a team of your own. The money raised by Hike-a-Thon participants goes directly toward funding nature education programs. Afterwards, the Museum is holding an Earth Day Celebration which includes a Family Fun Fair and Community Yard Sale. It’s going to be a great day for hikers, nature lovers, and everyone who cares about the future of the planet. Find out more information here.

Get out and start a family adventure.

“Ground-breaking” new study finds that bullies pick on the unpopular kids

Here is a study that is worthy of the Golden Fleece Award: Bullies choose their victims wisely, targeting kids who are unpopular and less likely to be defended by their peers. All we have to say to this (and pardon my valley girl language for a moment) is duh! I don’t think this is any new information to any one who has seen a bully in action. This type of behavior has been going on since the dawn of “give me your lunch money.” I wonder how much this study cost?

Another Great Cover Kids Event

Although in its 14th year, Sunday, March 21st marked the first Cover Kids held at Jumpin’ Jakes in Middletown. It was a big success, despite the beautiful weather! Our friends from the New York Talent Club met over 50 potential kids to be featured on the covers of Hudson Valley Parent in the coming year.

It’s also an opportunity for the talent scouts to meet kids who have the personality to become models or entertainers. It’s all very low-key and no pressure and fun for both parents and kids. We still have two more dates, one in Poughkeepsie and one in Newburgh. Sign up today or stop by during the event.

Starting anew this spring

What is it about this season that makes me want to clean my whole house, cut my hair  and generally start to change everything in my life? I don’t  think that we should make our new years resolutions in January, I don’t start making any changes until now.  I love spring and after a long winter everything seems bright and shiny (maybe not, but I like to imagine the world actually sparkles). Spring is a time to celebrate renewal and we have a great offer if you are ready to make a few changes for yourself. If you are looking for a new look click here or if you are ready to tackle spring cleaning and decorate you house we have some great pieces of art you could win. Go get your spring on.

Who couldn’t use a day of pampering?

When I was a younger, I was a “latch-key” kid. Both my parents worked full-time and worked extremely hard at raising me and my three brothers. I remember that it was especially hard for my mom to find time for herself just to relax. That’s why if I knew about our current “Spring Makeover” contest when I was a little girl, I would have definitely encourage my mom to enter. With today’s fast paced life style, who wouldn’t want  a fun day at the spa? Hudson Valley women need a break from reality- which could be working full-time at home or away (sometimes both) and everything in between. Tell us why you want a makeover and I promise we will listen.

Mack’s Daddy, Reporting for Duty

Hi, I’m the new editor here at Hudson Valley Parent. I’m also the dad of a 3.5 month old baby boy. I’ll be blogging about my experiences, and also commenting on whatever might be of interest to parents here in the Hudson Valley. I hope you’ll jump in with your own thoughts!