Puppet Gloves

Looking for a fun-to-make gift for a toddler or preschooler? Kids love to sing, do fingerplays, and count with colorful Puppet Gloves.

1. Young children love to count, sing action songs, and do fingerplays---all on their fingers. Here’s a great gift to make for a toddler or preschooler you know.

2. What are the child’s favorite fingerplays or songs? Lots of kids like "Five Little Pumpkins" and "The Wheels on the Bus." Do you remember the finger play? Can you sing the song? What kind of puppet pictures could you use to remind your friend, brother, or sister about the words?

3. Ask an adult to help you find a pair of cotton or 50/50 cotton/polyester gloves.

4. Using Crayola® Fabric Markers, draw the characters of the finger play or song on the fingers, back, and palm of the glove. Crayola® Fabric Markers stain clothing and surfaces, CLOSE ADULT SUPERVISION IS REQUIRED. With only one pair of gloves, you could design two sets of puppets---that’s 10 mini-puppets!

5. These puppets are likely to be so popular they’ll be worn again and again. They might even get soiled. If you think these gloves will be laundered often, ask an adult to heat set the colors. Dry the glove(s) in the clothes dryer on the highest setting for 30 minutes.

6. Are you ready for fingerplay fun when you give these puppets as a gift? Kids’ eyes are sure to light up!

Adult supervision is required for any arts & crafts project. Observe children closely and intervene as necessary to prevent potential safety problems and ensure appropriate use of arts and crafts materials. Some craft items, particularly beads and buttons, are potential choking hazards for young children. Avoid use of such small parts with children younger than 3 years. Craft items such as scissors, push pins and chenille sticks may have sharp points or edges. Avoid use of materials with sharp points by children younger than 4 years. Read all manufacturers' safety warnings before using arts and craft supplies.

Adult Assistance is required for this arts & crafts project.

Crafts

crayola supplies

• Fabric Markers

household supplies

• gloves

"After the kids did several finger plays, they wanted to retell their favorite stories using another glove."
Nikea R., teenage babysitter.

"We wrote numbers on the gloves to learn how to count to 10. We could do left/right and the alphabet, too!"
Ophelia D., home-school parent.

Fingerplays and action songs help develop children’s language and fine motor skills. Counting is often part of the activity, too. Singing and reciting rhymes also increase auditory memory and attention span.