How to Make a Movable Mouth Puppet
Puppets have entertained kids and adults for generations. From Punch & Judy to the creations of Jim Henson, puppetry has a special place in many people's hearts. You can create a simple sock puppet with a moving mouth, which you can then decorate any way that you desire. This is a project that you can do with your children, though you should be the one to handle the hot glue gun and cutting tools.
Things You'll Need
- Cardboard
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Razor blade
- Sock
- Hot glue gun
- Felt
- Decorative items
Instructions
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1
Draw an oval onto a piece of corrugated cardboard using a pencil. Make it 5 inches long and 3 inches wide. The corrugations should go along the width, not length.
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2
Cut out the oval with a sharp pair of scissors.
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3
Cut a slit in one side of the cardboard at the middle, following the corrugations, using a razor blade.
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4
Fold the oval in half. The slit allows the cardboard to fold neatly.
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5
Put your hand into a sock. Hold your fingers apart, with your fingers making the upper jaw of a mouth and your thumb making a lower jaw.
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6
Cut a 2 1/2-inch slit in the indentation between your fingers and thumb with scissors.
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7
Insert the folded cardboard all the way into the slit, with the folded end facing back. The cardboard is the rigid form for the mouth.
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8
Plug in a hot glue gun and let it heat up.
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9
Squeeze the gun's trigger to apply a bead of hot glue around the inside edge of the cardboard mouth. Press the edge of the sock material into the melted glue, being careful not to burn your fingers. Let the glue cool.
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10
Cut an oval that matches the size of the cardboard out of black felt using scissors.
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11
Hot glue the felt oval over the cardboard with the hot glue gun. Overlap the felt so it hides the cut edges of the sock and forms the black interior of the mouth.
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12
Add decorations to the sock such as googly eyes and fabric paint to finish the puppet. Add ears, hair and clothing if desired.
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References
- Photo Credit Brand X Pictures/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
