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!!