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Step 1
Position your hand with your forefingers clasped together and your thumb held apart. This is a similar position to the one you would use if you were about to place your hand into a mitten.
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Step 2
Slide your hand through the length of the puppet until your thumb and fingers reach the puppet's head. Your hand must fit snugly into the puppet's head to maintain control of the character.
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Step 3
Place your thumb into the lower half of the puppet's jaw or chin. Your thumb should have ample room to move the puppet's jaw about, so you can increase the puppet's animation by wiggling its jaw from side to side as well as open and shut.
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Step 4
Tuck your forefingers into the upper half of the puppet's mouth. Your forefingers should be close to the nostrils of the puppet.
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Step 5
Use your index finger and middle finger to work the puppet's mouth in a scissor-like fashion as an alternative puppet hold. This leaves your ring finger and thumb free to use in the puppet's arms if you wish to control the puppet using only one hand.
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Step 6
Insert each finger into a separate limb of the puppet for multi-limbed puppets. Examples include an octopus or insect, which can feature several limbs with hollow areas ready to receive fingers.
