Help preschoolers create a puppet using an old rubber glove. Wash and dry the rubber glove. Provide permanent markers, glue, ribbon, string, lace, string, googly eyes and any other embellishments that you choose. Encourage children to use the ornamental items to decorate the puppet and to use the marker and googly eyes to create the puppet's facial features. Once the puppet has dried completely, show children how to put their hand inside the puppet to create movement.
Show preschoolers how to make puppets using a brown paper bag. Provide each child with a lunch-size paper bag to serve as the puppet's body. Ask children to choose the type of puppet they would like to make and then help them cut out the body parts of the puppet from colored construction paper, such as a tail, ears, arms, legs and a tongue. Provide the preschoolers with art supplies and embellishments including glue, markers, googly eyes and crayons and encourage them to draw the puppet's facial features on the flap of the paper bag. Help them to glue the body parts onto the paper bag. Allow to dry completely. Show children how to place their hand inside the paper bag to move the puppet's mouth.
Implement puppet activities that will improve preschoolers' fine motor skills, help them develop hand-eye coordination and provide a unique and stimulating musical experience. Sing songs with preschoolers during circle time while you manipulate a hand puppet. Teach the children the words to the songs, then provide each child with a puppet and ask the children to join you in singing songs while they move their puppet's mouth.
Use your hands to create animal shadow puppets on a blank wall. Dim the lights and ask one of the children or a classroom helper to point the flashlight toward your hand to create a shadow. To create a rabbit, hold your hand up with fingers pointing toward the ceiling. Fold all of your fingers down except the pinkie and thumb to create the rabbit's ears. Wiggle your pinkie and thumb. Encourage children to name the animal or make the animal's sound once they have recognized the type of animal shadow puppet that is on display. Manipulate the children's hands so that they can make their own shadow puppets.