Old Fashion Sock Puppets!

Old fashion sock puppets!

I knew we were going to bring books for the plane and made sure to pick some favorites for the kids, but what about toys? They take up so much room and losing a favorite toy can be a problem with a 1 ½ year old. So, what can you bring for a one year old to play with that you won’t care if it gets ruined or lost? Why not take a trip back to your own childhood and make some sock puppets?!!! They don’t have to be elaborate just silly!



You need:
As many old socks as you wish to make puppets
2- Large buttons per sock
1- Small button per sock
2- Wiggly eyes per sock (you can also just use a permanent marker to draw on a face if time is an issue)
2- 1/4ths of a circle per sock
Old string, ribbon or fabric scraps
Glue gun
Needle and thread

I started by putting the sock on my hand to figure out where I wanted to put the mouth. I marked this spot with a marker. Then I glued with the hot glue gun the ¼ of a circle cut outs so the pointy ends touched and the round parts faced away from each other when the sock was laying flat on the spot decided on for a mouth. I let this dry and tested it to make sure it made for a good mouth. If you wish you can draw a tongue in the mouth.

Being very careful, with my hand still in the puppet I sewed the corners of the mouth with a crisscross that I did 3 times for security. Sewing the corners made for a better mouth and it easier to see where the rest of the face should go. If you wish and have some bumpy buttons you can add them around the edges of the circles for teeth or you can roll up some felt and attach it to the end of the circle for lips.

Next attach the small button for the nose. I sewed it on using the crises-cross pattern than end by doubling up to create a square with the four holes so that it won’t be bitten or just fall off. If you want to and its cold season you can add a bite of felt or green string for boogers hanging out one of the button holes to talk about blowing noses and germs.

Once the nose and mouth are in place you will be able to place the eyes easier. First, glue the googly eyes on the large buttons being careful not to block any of the holes on the button. If you don’t have the time, draw a filled in circle on the buttons for pupils. Next, using the same method of criss-cross than doubling to create a square around the button holes, attach to the sock. If you want glue some pieces of felt for eyelashes or draw them on with a marker.

Next, take whatever fabric you are using for hair and decide on how long the hair will be. If you are using ribbon cut a long strand and loop it over your hand sewing each loop to the next by threading it threw the start end (I sew this end by looping it on one side threading the middle than looping the other side and again coming to the middle to protect from fraying) than thread each loop as they come. When you come to the end, tie off your thread. Next, sew the ribbon onto the sock by attaching the part you threaded on the ribbon to the sock in the area you choose for hair. If you wish you can cut the hanging ends of the loops, but this may cause fraying.

Now, you can add felt hats, buttons for decoration, draw on freckles, glue on felt clothes or draw them on, and have your air plane puppet show! I put these in a sandwich bag to keep them together and since they aren’t too thick without a hand they travel well. Being old socks and scraps they didn’t cost much to make and so if they got ruined or lost I didn’t mind. The kids can create their own story or listen to one of yours on the plane so bring your imagination! In closing, the best stories are the ones you can tell since they teach your children what you want to pass on and how to create inside themselves!

Abby