Turkey Finger Puppets

Gobble, Gobble!

       Thanksgiving will be here before you know it,   but a cute little turkey can be fun to play with any time.  Now is the time to make these cute turkey finger puppets for your kids in time for Thanksgiving!
    

       I know this guy has a frightened or startled look on his face.   You would to if you or one of your friends were on the menu for Thanksgiving dinner.

       I like to create felt finger puppets for my granddaughters, nieces, and nephews.  Having a large scrap box of felt comes in very handy when these little friends need to be made.    As you can see, the smallest scrap of felt can be used for feathers, a beak, or eyes when making a felt finger puppet.

      These little finger puppets are only about 2 1/2 inches tall.  They are appliqued and then stitched together with embroidery floss.    I don't use any glue.   They are very soft and lovable. Each turkey has a little yellow beak that opens.   Gobble,  Gobble!


     

        These turkeys were a lot of fun to make. They would make a great addition to my Old MacDonald felt set. Here is the link if you would like to see the rest of the farm animals.

http://betikempa1.blogspot.com/2017/01/felt-old-macdonald-had-farm.html

Here is the horse.

   If you like finger puppets, give these a try.

Beti

North Pole Finger Puppets

Finger Puppets

       My latest finger puppet collection centers around the Arctic regions of our world.  Brrr!    These are made of small pieces of felt stitched with embroidery floss so they are warm and cozy little friends.

            A cute white seal pup and polar bear are found in the cold arctic.    The seal pup has a worried look on his face sitting next to the polar bear,  though I don't think the bear will bother him.   The polar bear is very friendly.

        I added a snowman just for some added fun.  We know how Frosty likes to dance and play in the snowy and cold weather.   Of course Frosty has to have a bright red scarf around his neck to keep away those cold winter winds. 

         Lastly, a penguin was added to the group of felt friends.    I know penguins don't live at the North Pole,  but this one begged me to include him with the other cold weather friends.    So, please explain to your little ones that penguins live at the South Pole not the North Pole.

         I find these finger puppets great for dramatic play or a quiet time activity for preschoolers.    Songs  can be incorporated with finger puppets easily.   They can be taken in the car or on an airplane trip to keep a child occupied for a period of time.    Hide and seek is easily adapted with finger puppets in the confined space of a car seat.    The child can close their eyes and the parent could hide one or all of the finger puppets to find.

      

        The little boxes are made from Altoid tins.     I stitched a small piece of North Pole flannel fabric, that I found at JoAnns, to a piece of felt.     The felt was then glued to the top of the tin  with tacky glue.      All four little chilly friends fit perfectly into the tin for safe keeping.

          I made two sets, one for each of my granddaughters.     They are slightly different so there is no confusion when clean up time comes around.  

       You can view other finger puppets ( Halloween collection,  Baby Sharks,  Moose finger puppets,  and Animal Bed Tins) in previous posts if you are interested. 

       Enjoy the wonderful day! 

Beti 

Ninja Finger Puppets

Ninjas! Ninjas!

            We see ninjas everywhere!    If you have read my blog,  I love to make felt finger puppets for my grandchildren and grand nieces and nephews.   In talking to my nieces, they mentioned that their boys like to play ninjas with their friends.   I should have known that.   So I decided to make a set of felt ninja finger puppets.

            A couple of years ago while on a family vacation, I gave each grandniece and nephew a little Altoid box with a little felt animal inside.    They were a hit with the kiddos.   So now when I get to visit the kids, I like to have some little handmade toy to play with. 

           My felt finger puppets are made from small scrap felt pieces.    These little guys are about 1 1/2 inches wide and 2 1/2 to 3 inches tall.      They are big enough to fit comfortably on your fingers and those of children, too.    I cut the body and other shapes free hand so none are exactly alike.      With a "pattern in my "mind's eye", the finger puppet begins to take shape.    So if you are going to make these, pick up your scissors and begin to snip here and there.      As you can see, black, browns, grays, and a green felt were used for the bodies.      Tiny scraps of red, yellow, and black were used for their belts.
  

             The only part that was hand stitched were the tiny eyes peeking out from each mask. The rest of the sewing was done by machine.   (Many of my finger puppets are completely hand stitched, but I wanted these to be a bit more durable because the boys will be playing with them.  

      Ninjas can be educational, too! 
             These little warriors can always be used for counting, sorting,  and matching activities.    Matching the belts or the color of the clothing could be fun.     Properties of same and different can be used in sorting.   They can also be placed in order from smallest to largest.      The educational possibilities  are endless.


          Give these little fellows a try if you enjoy making felt finger puppets!  I  do hope some lucky little boys and girls enjoy their ninjas!


Beti

Black Cat Finger Puppets

     Black cats are so much fun at Halloween!  So I decided to make a set for my granddaughter 's preschool class.

     These little guys are about two inches tall made from scraps of black felt and embroidery floss.   Tiny seed needs were seen in the face for the eyes andnose.  A few simple straight stiches were seen for the mouth and whiskers.

     Each black 🐱 has his or her own personality.  All my finger puppets are cut free hand.  So everyone is a little different.   Now, if you are a pattern person, draw your pattern and work from it.

     I find that preschool children love to play with finger puppets and make them talk, sing, dance, and play.

I hope you find these little friends an enjoyable experience for you and your children.
 Happy Sewing!

Beti

Halloween Finger Puppets

Halloween  

Finger Puppets
Boo!

       

         Everyone enjoys the Fall season and the anticipation of Halloween.
Finger puppets are a good activity for little ones to begin to interact with some Halloween characters. It's never too early the start thinking about Halloween especially if you are making something for your little ones.

     I like to use Altiod tins as a finger puppet to keep my finger puppets safe and sound in their "little houses" after playtime has ended.  The young child can always find their finger puppets when they are placed into their little house.
These have a simple pumpkin on the top to identify the correct container.

        A little orange jack-o-lantern with a big smile is always around during Halloween.  Black bats are a favorite at this time of year, but with a friendly little face.  Ghosts that say "Boo!" can't be left out of this group. Finally a cute little brown owl that says, "Whoo! " rounds out this little group. 

       Finger Puppets are a great activity to take on an airplane, in the car on a long trip or just at home.  They are wonderful for language development and communication skills.  Fine motor skills are developed when each finger puppet is being placed on different fingers of each hand. Color recognition is developed with the variety of bright colors.  Story telling can be incorporated with these Halloween friends in everyday play. 

        Today I linked up with Forever in 5th Grade for Show and Tell Tuesday Fall is Here.

       Stephanie has some great pictures of her cute puppies. Check them out.

 www.foreverinfifthgrade.blogspot.com
      
 Enjoy the fall season with family and friends!

Beti 

Doc McStuffins felt finger puppets

     Finger puppets Come Alive!

        The other day I was shopping at JoAnn fabrics and spotted a package of Doc McStuffins buttons.  I just had to pick up two packages. Two of everything is what I need to make gifts for our granddaughters.

        These little buttons would be perfect to use for finger puppets!  When I got home I went to the basket full of felt scraps.  Two pieces of felt about two or three inches by an inch and a half is all that is needed to create a finger puppet.

    A different color felt was used for each puppet to give them their own identity.

    Here is the set of four little friends just waiting to play.

      Doc and her friends were quickly scooped up for some adventures in make believe. 😁

I hope you enjoy this wonderful day that God has given us.

Beti

Baby Sharks

Baby Sharks
Finger Puppets

        If you have little ones at home, I'm sure you know of "Baby Sharks".  It is a Youtube video of young children singing a song with hand motions.  It it VERY Cute! And very catchy with a great beat!  You won't be able to get it out of your head!

         

        The kids have so much fun singing and dancing to this song.  My 2 year old granddaughters and their cousins got into it while on vacation this summer. The whole family, aunts and uncles, moms and dads, and grandparents joined into the silly fun, too!

        So I had to make Baby Shark finger puppets to add to their collections.

         Sorry that the last picture is a little fuzzy. I was trying to take the picture with my left  hand and hold the baby shark in my right hand.  The finger puppets are big enough for an adult finger but still not too large for a child's finger play.

       A few scrap pieces of grey, white, and red felt was all that I used.  Brighten up someone's day with a Baby Shark! It is sure to put a smile on someone's face.  Enjoy!



Beti

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

Bunny Finger Puppets

Make way for Bunnies!

         Bunnies are 
        so much fun! 
       Since Spring and Easter are on the way, I thought I would make some finger puppet bunnies for my nieces and nephews to place in their Easter baskets. 

            These little guys are made from scrap felt and embroidery floss.  They are 2 1/2 to 3 inches tall, depending on the length of their ears. Each one is different from the others because I don't used a pattern. Their facial expressions give each a different personality.

            Each little bunny has his or her own little tin box house or bed to snuggle in at night.  Of course they need some carrots to munch on when hungry.

       If you have any extra felt around your house, give these little furry friends a try. This might be a good project for some beginner sewers before Easter. 

       Have fun waiting for Spring to come. 

Beti  

Unicorn Finger Puppets

Unicorns 

are coming!

        Making felt finger puppets is a new hobby of mine.  Youngsters enjoy little things to play with.  Finger puppets fill the bill.  So unicorns became my new project. 

       As you can see this little unicorn is only about 3 inches tall and 2 inches wide.  Her single  horn adds another 3/4 of an inch. These unicorns are made from small pieces of scrap felt.   This is the perfect size for  child two years and up.

      Finger puppets are great for fine motor activities.   They are nice and soft. Little fingers can easily manipulate the soft felt.  Two or more can easily be maneuvered on one hand.  My granddaughters manage many on both hands at one time.

   

           I thought it would be fun to stuff the horn and add tiny seed beads  to dress these unicorns up a bit.  You can never have enough bling.  These were maid for my nieces who are in elementary school.  The girls are always carrying a purse.  Maybe these little unicorns will find a cozy spot in a corner of their purse.

      Enjoy your day.  I hope a unicorn comes into a child's life today.  The  imagination of a child is so very powerful. Keep your inner child as long as you can! Life is beautiful.

      Please leave a comment if you have an extra minute in your busy day.  I'd love to hear from you.

Happy crafting in the new year!
Beti