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Puppets Around the World

Fables from around the world

Puppets Around the World

Fables from around the world
 
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Puppets Around the WorldFriday Fun

Simple Paper Mitt
Hand Puppets

Easy puppets, endless creative fun!
Simple Paper Mitt Hand Puppets - rabbit and cat
What you will make:

In this project, make easy and versatile mitt-shaped paper hand puppets. With the addition of features and a few cutouts, this simple mitt shape can be made into a wide variety of puppets—animals, people, monsters, even vehicles! For fabric versions of the cat, rabbit and bear puppets, see Cat and Rabbit Fabric Mitt Hand Puppets.

Related crafts: For more puppets, many with plays based on folktales, see Puppets Around the World.

Here's what you need:
  • White computer paper
  • Scissors
  • Empty ballpoint pen or bone folder
  • Ruler
  • Glue
  • Optional: Crayons, markers or colored pencils, tape, felt, cloth, needle and thread

This project is rated VERY EASY to do.

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Before you start
  • Make a place to work.
  • Read all of the directions.
  • Gather everything you need to do the project.
  • Think about the project. Imagine how it will look and what you will do with it.
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How to Make Simple Paper Mitt Hand Puppets

Read all of the steps before starting.
Step 1: Choose a Pattern and Print It

Choose the puppets that you want to make. Download each pattern and print it on white paper. For the cat, rabbit, bear, "Guy" and "Sally" puppets, also print the puppet add-ons pattern for the ear and hair additions. Print the blank pattern to make a puppet of your own design, and use the eye expressions add-ons pattern to add some personality to your puppet.

Cat hand puppet
Printable pattern for the cat hand puppet
Rabbit hand puppet
Printable pattern for rabbit hand puppet
Bear hand puppet
Printable pattern for bear hand puppet
"Guy" hand puppet
Printable pattern for "Guy" hand puppet
Hand puppet add-ons
Printable pattern for mitt hand puppet add-ons
"Sally" hand puppet
Printable pattern for "Sally" hand puppet
Hand puppet add-ons
Printable pattern for"Sally" mitt hand puppet add-on
Blank hand puppet
Printable pattern for blank hand puppet
Eye Expressions
Printable pattern of eye expressions add-ons

Patterns are Adobe PDF files. The Adobe Reader is available for free.

All of Aunt Annie's project patterns are designed to be printed on standard letter-size paper (8.5"x11" or A4). When printing from Adobe Reader, you may need to select Fit, Auto-Rotate and Center or Choose paper source by PDF page size to ensure the best fit.

Step 2: Color and Decorate (optional)

Color the puppet any colors you like. Add details to the puppets, like stripes on the cat or wisps of fur in the rabbit's ears. Use the blank pattern and your imagination to make puppets of your own design. Add some creative cutouts or use the silly eyes from Aunt Annie's eye expressions add-ons pattern. How about a monster or a fire-breathing dragon? A truck or car with wheel add-ons sounds like fun, too!

Step 3: Cut Cut out the puppets

Cut out each puppet and add-on part on the outside solid line. Be sure to make accurate cuts. The cat, rabbit and bear puppets have two ear add-ons and the "Guy" puppet has hair and two ears.

Tip: If you choose to tape the mitt together, cut away the glue tabs by cutting the mitt on the solid black lines.

Step 4: Score Score the fold lines

To make the folding easier, score the center fold line and the glue tab fold lines on the mitt. Fold lines are marked in red.

The mitt's top glue tab has a curved fold line. It is very important that this line is scored before folding!

Tip: Use a ruler when scoring straight fold lines.

Step 5: Fold Fold glue tabs and center line

Fold the side glue tab on the mitt, then fold the mitt in half on the center fold line. Unfold.

Before folding the mitt's top glue tab, snip the glue tab every ¼" or so with a cut that ends at the fold line. Now fold and unfold each section of the glue tab on the scored fold line. The snipped sections will overlap.

Step 6: Glue Glue mitt seams closed

Apply glue along the back of the side glue tab. Fold the mitt in half and fold the glue tab over the mitt's back to close the mitt's side seam. To close the top seam, put glue on the back of each section of the top glue tab and fold over the back of the mitt. Let the glue dry.

Tip: You can use tape in place of the glue and glue tabs. Fold a length of tape over the mitt's side seam and several small pieces of tape over the mitt's top seam.

Step 7: Finish Puppet

Cat: Glue the cat's ears to the front of the mitt, near the top.

Rabbit: Glue the rabbit's ears to the back of the mitt near the top.

Bear: Glue the bear's ears to the back of the mitt near the top, pointed tip down.

Glue ears and hair on puppets

Guy: Glue Guy's hair to the top of the mitt, then glue the ears on either side of his face. Of course, you could leave Guy bald, if you like!

Slip the puppet over your hand and have some make-believe fun!
Simple Paper Mitt Hand Puppets - rabbit and cat

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