How to Make Sock Puppets with Kids, Cheap Easy Fun [video]

Making Sock Puppets is Cheap and Really Fun!

Looking for a fun project to do with your kids? This has to be my favorite by far, making a sock puppet. Not only will you bond while manufacturing your puppet, but you and your child can have hours of interactive fun creating new personalities and events for each creation.

Use your imagination here. Because you don't have yarn scraps around, it doesn't mean you can't make a sock puppet. Maybe your sock puppet is bald, or has drawn-on hair. Or maybe your puppet has colorful strips of fabric hair.Your puppet hairdo is only limited by your creative mind.

I often make fun teeth out of simple little bits of fabric cut to a scallop shape and then glued into the mouth. Add a tongue to your puppets mouth for a little floppy fun! If you can imagine it, it can become part of your sock puppet design!

Here is a Basic list of what you will need

• Old Sock (stains and holes can add personality, but make sure the socks are clean)
• Scissors
• Marker pen (or any writing utensil)
• Hot glue or fabric glue (Hot glue requires adult supervision—they call it "hot" for a good reason! Fabric glue takes much longer to set)
• A piece of cardboard to fit the size of your hand
• Felt scrap big enough to fit on the piece of cardboard you just cut
• Material to make eye balls (puff balls, buttons, little stones from the yard, anything your creative mind can imagine can become an eye)
• Scrap Yarn or material strips (this makes for a good sock puppet hairdo)
• Scrap materials of color to give your puppet fashion and personality

(The video at the top shows these steps clearly, making it even easier to create your own funny Sock Puppet!)

Gather together all of the materials that you will be using. Plug in your hot glue gun (if using one) so it can heat up, make sure you have back-up glue sticks. Place some kind of protective cover over your work surface so you don't get any glue or scrapes on it.

1. Pick your sock.
2. Trace your hand size onto the cardboard using a marker, cut to an oval shape. Fold it in half evenly to form a mouth shape comfortable to your hand. Flatten the cardboard out again.
3. Trim the felt so it fits the shape of the cardboard cutout.
4. Cut a straight line at the tip of the sock (where your toes go) to create an opening for the puppets mouth.
5. Run a bead of Hot Glue along the cardboard's outer edge and then glue it into the opening you just cut at the tip of the sock. Do this by folding ½" to ¾" of the sock material over the glue on the cardboard edge. Be careful, the glue is really hot!
6. Glue the felt piece onto the cardboard, make sure you glue it so it covers the folded edges of the sock you just glued to cardboard cutout. Set aside.
7. Glue a center shape onto a larger puffball (you're creating pupils for the eyeballs)
8. Pull the sock puppet onto your hand so you know where the eyes are going to look the best when glued in place. You can mark the spot using the pen. Glue the eyeballs in place on your puppets head.
9. Add hair and a nose, or any other accessories like glasses, teeth, a tie, a shirt, jewelry, or anything else your puppets needs!
10. Slide your sock puppet onto your arm and let the fun begin!

There are several reasons to make sock puppets, here are just a few:

• Great for fundraisers.
• You can sell them at a yard-sale.
• They are amazing teaching tools (kids can't take their eyes off of them!).
• Nice to give as a creative gift item.
• Fantastic donation item for church, youth centers, and children's organizations.
• You'll find hours of fun for your own kids (and adults).
• The project uses the old socks you are going to throw out anyway, instead recycle them!
• They make for a very inexpensive project during any budget crunch at home or school.
• You already have most or all of the stuff you need in your house (nothing new to buy).

Now that you have learned how to make a Sock Puppet, be sure to share the fun! Get your children involved or add this project to a kids birthday party, or even an art class. The fun is endless, and the things your children will share with you through the magic of puppetry will bring laughter and exciting memories to your life! Now go have some fun making your own sock puppets!