How to Make Penguin Finger Puppets

Penguins are easily depicted as finger puppets.

Finger puppets are among the easiest puppets to make and control. Finger puppets are most often made to resemble simplistic characters or animals. A penguin is an example of an animal with a simple shape and basic features that can be depicted relatively realistically in finger puppet form. Penguin finger puppets can be made simply with a pair of old gloves and a few craft items.

Things You'll Need

• Old black woolen gloves
• White felt
• Scissors
• Craft glue
• Yellow felt
• Orange felt
• Black felt
• Small googly eyes

Instructions

1. Cut the fingers from the gloves as close to the base as possible to produce the body shape of the penguin.

2. Draw an elongated oval shape on the white felt and cut it out using the scissors. Using the craft glue, stick the white oval onto the middle of the glove finger. This produces the white belly of the penguin.

3. Using either the orange or yellow felt, draw a small diamond shape and cut it out. Fold the diamond felt shape in half and use the glue to stick it between the white felt patch and the tip of the glove finger. The tops of each end of the diamond should be pointing forward, creating the penguin's beak.

4. Glue two small googly eyes onto the puppet. These should be placed between the fingertip and the beak.

5. Draw two small elongated leaf shapes on the black felt and cut them out. They should be about one-quarter to one-half as long as the glove finger. Glue these on either side of the glove finger to make the penguin's wings. Sticking only the tops of the wings to the glove finger allows the wings to flap slightly and be more visible.

6. Repeat the process with all the fingers of the glove to make a whole penguin family of different heights.

Tips & Warnings

• If kids are making the puppets, they may need supervision when using scissors.

References

• The Kid's Fun Review: Winter Craft Project--Penguin Finger Puppet