Simple Puppets from Everyday Materials

Book excerpt: Turn an empty cereal box into a friendly hippopotamus, a paper plate into a dancing dandelion, a sock into a snake, a glove into an entire family. Each of the more than twenty types of puppet in this colorful cast of characters can be made with materials easily found around the house. Use toilet-paper rolls and paper-towel tubes, empty cardboard juice cans and juice boxes, wooden spoons and thread spools, old socks and fabric scraps, paper bags, Popsicle sticks, egg cartons, drinking straws, construction paper, yarn, magazines, and much more. Make hand puppets, finger puppets, marionettes, jumping puppets, papier-mache puppets and other fun friends. Decorate a puppet stage and put on a show. Easy-to-follow instructions, helpful tips, and imaginative suggestions encourage kids to explore their creativity. Any type of creature can be made: a wiggly caterpillar or ferocious dragon, silly two-faced tube heads, jiggling gymnasts, a wacky carrot critter or banana buddy-the possibilities are endless. The perfect activity for a rainy day, a leisurely weekend, or any time, puppet-making offers hours of laughter and plenty of fun-and it's a great way to recycle, too! Sterling/Tamos 80 pages (all in color), 8 1/2 x 10.