How to Make Origami Finger Puppets

Finger puppets are a lot of fun to make and use. They are a great way to occupy children in a project that encourages creativity, both artistically in creating unique puppets as well as engaging them in imaginative play when operating them. These puppets are excellent tools for educators to use as teaching aids accompanying stories and various lessons. Origami finger puppets are very easy to make, all you need are basic craft supplies found in every child's pencil box.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Construction paper
• Scissors
• Markers or crayons
• Glue sticks
• Decorations

1. Take a sheet of construction paper. Fold it in half length-wise, so that it taller than it is wide. Crease the fold with your finger nail. Unfold it again.

2. Fold over the left edge of the paper so that the edge comes to the center fold line you created. Crease it with your fingernail. Fold over the right edge of the paper so that it comes to the center fold line. Crease that with your finger nail.

3. Re-fold the center, so that you have a long strip. Fold that strip over, in half, by bringing the two top corners down to meet the two bottom corners. Crease that center horizontal fold with your finger nail.

4. Fold the top part of the strip backwards so that the edge meets that center horizontal fold. Crease it. Turn the paper over. Fold the bottom edge up to meet that center horizontal fold. Crease it. You'll have a strip of paper that looks like an "M" shape. The center of the "M" is the mouth of your puppet.

5. Take your pointer and middle finger and slide them into the space between the folds at one end. Slide your thumb into the space between the folds at the other end. If you move your fingers back and forth, it looks like you are opening and closing a mouth.

6. Decorate your finger puppet by drawing eyes, a nose or upper lips on the top part (the part your first and middle finger slide into). If you prefer, you can cut out circles, or any shapes you like, for the eyes and nose and glue them on. You could also use "googly eyes" from a craft store or small pom-poms for a nose.

7. Add ears to the top or sides of the face. You can cut out circles for mouse ears, or long strips to make rabbit ears. It depends on the type of puppet you would like to make.

8. Open the mouth, if you like, to draw a tongue, or teeth. Glue on pipe cleaners for whiskers, or cotton balls for a mustache, or glue a small rectangle of paper to the roof of the mouth for protruding buck teeth. Use yarn for hair. Let the children be creative to decorate the faces however they want.