Monday, March 23, 2020

Moose Finger Puppet

           Last summer a moose crept into my life. 


           My granddaughter came to visit.  Before she arrived, I had gone to the local  library. Our library has a Used Book Cellar.  Of course it is down in the basement of the public library, hence the name.  I found the book, "If You Give a Moose a Muffin" by Laura Joffe Numeroff and illustrated by Felicia Bond. The book was in perfect condition with the dust cover without a wrinkle or tear. I picked it up for one dollar.  I couldn't resist!


            This cute story quickly became a bedtime favorite. We read it together over and over enjoying the story and pictures. The illustrations are so very inviting.  They tell the story so well. Even small children are able to retell the story in there own words from the illustrations.

            The summer then lead us "up north" in Michigan for a short vacation. 
Michigan is known for Kilwins Chocolate Candy and Fudge.   We took a walk in the small town of Harbor Springs one night after dinner.  We ran into a very friendly moose!



            The moose was standing in front of Kilwins to welcome all the passers- by.  My granddaughter was amazed by this moose!  Had the book come alive just for her?  They do look similar.  The two  danced and teased each other for the longest time. 

            Well on the way home in the car, I decided that a MOOSE finger puppet needed to be made. I always carry my small box of felt and embroidery floss with me when I travel, just in case I get an inspiration for a felt finger puppet.
Here is my Moose.  He is kind of cute, in a "goofy and outdoorsy" sort of way. I tried to capture the silly moose my granddaughter had encountered this summer in Michigan.  As you can see I took this picture in the car.


          Finger puppets can be a fantastic manipulative for young children. They are easy to handle and do not take up much space.  These travel well and are great for quiet activities. Felt is quite durable, inexpensive, and easy to work with. Even a beginner can stitch up a finger puppet. 

          You can see my "Five Little Monkeys" finger puppets at the link below.
www.betikempa1.blogspot.com/2017/01/five-little-monkeys.html 

          I store my finger puppets that are made in little Altoid tins. The lids closes tightly for safe keeping. A small piece of felt is glued onto the cover of the tin with tacky glue.  Each tin has a different color felt on the lid. The child knows by color which finger puppets  are stored in each tin.



          So, the moral of the story is, if you happen to run into a moose some day, keep an open mind.  You might enjoy the journey.  I did!

      Please leave a comment if you have a spare minute, I'd love to hear from you.

Beti

No comments:

Post a Comment