Materials: 2 paper plates
black construction paper cut in eight 1” x 12” strips
1 old sock
markers, scissors, crayons, stapler
Directions: Draw a face on the toe of the sock for the spider’s head. Decorate the
paper plates to be the front and back of the spider’s body. Bend the strips of paper back and forth in accordion style. Staple four legs
to each side of the plate as shown. Leave an opening in the top and
bottom so you can insert the sock.
Use the puppet to sing:
The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout.
Down came the rain and washed the spider out.
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain.
And the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again.
Adaptations: Act out “Little Miss Muffet” with the spider puppet. One child can be Little Miss Muffet and another can be the spider.
Write stories about spiders and then put them together in a “web” book made from paper plates.
Find four facts about spiders in a book or on the internet.
Sing this song to the tune of “Frerer Jacques.”
I am busy, (Children repeat each line.)
The spider said. (Children repeat.)
Very, very busy, (Children repeat.)
Spinning my web. (Children repeat.)
MOUSIE FINGER PUPPET
Materials: cloth garden glove
felt scraps, craft glue, 2 wiggly eyes,
fine tip marker
Directions: Cut around the back of one finger on the glove. On the
front side, cut slanted lines to resemble the tail of a mouse. Attach
small felt circles for ears. Glue on wiggly eyes and draw whiskers
with the marker.
Put the mouse on your finger and use it to sing
the song below:
(Tune: “The Bear Went over the Mountain”)
I saw a little white mousie.
I saw a little white mousie.
I saw a little white mousie coming squeaking by my door.
So I said to the little white mousie.
I said to the little white mousie.
I said to the little white mousie,
“Come back and squeak some more.” Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!
Hint! Adapt the color of the mouse to the color of your glove.
Adaptations: Use the puppet for a quiet transition game.
Put it on your finger and say:
Mousie, mousie, how quiet can you be?
When I clap my hands – one – two – three,
We shall see!
Clap your hands 3 times and then pass the mouse to a child who is sitting quietly. That child then passes the mouse to a second child.
The game continues as the mouse is passed to quiet friends.
ALLIGATOR SOCK PUPPET
Materials: old sock (gray, green, or brown)
2 large white pompoms
2 small black pompoms
large handful of fiberfill stuffing
rubber band, craft glue
Directions: Make a ball with the stuffing and insert it in the heel of the sock. This will be the head of the alligator. Put your hand in the sock and extend your fingers from your thumb.
Wrap the rubber band around the joint between the thumb and fingers to create a mouth. Glue the black pompoms in the center of the white pompoms to make eyes. Glue these to either side of the head as shown.
Open the alligator’s mouth and have him pretend to say the chant below. Children repeat each line:
Alligator. (Children repeat.)
Alligator. (Repeat.)
Alligator. (Repeat.)
Can be your friend, can be your friend,
can be your friend, too. (Repeat.)
The alligator is my friend. (Repeat.)
And he can be your friend, too. (Repeat.)
If only you could understand. (Repeat.)
Don’t wear him as your shoe. (Repeat.)
Alligator. (Repeat.)
Alligator. (Repeat.)
Alligator. (Repeat.)
Can be your friend, can be your friend,
can be your friend, too. (Repeat.)
Use the alligator puppet to focus children’s attention with this rhyme:
A hungry old alligator’s sneaking up on you.
And he’s going to take a bite if you don’t know what to do.
So open up your ears, and do what I say.
Are you ready? Get set! Let’s play!
Hint! This same puppet can be a snake, dinosaur, or other imaginative character.
Click image above for YouTube video
ELEPHANT PUPPET SOCK PUPPET
Materials: 1 white paper plate, 1 white sock, crayons,
2 brad fasteners,
1 gray sheet construction paper
Directions: Cut 2 ears out of gray construction paper. Cut a circle large enough for your hand out of the middle of the paper plate. (Color the plate gray if you desire.)
Draw a face on the plate as shown. Attach the 2 ears to the sides of the plate with brad fasteners. Insert your hand in the sock, then stick the sock through the back of the plate to create the elephant’s nose.
Elephants walk like this and that.
They’re terribly big and terribly fat.
They have no hands, they have no toes.
But, goodness, gracious, what a nose!
You can also make an elephant puppet from an old CD. Draw a face on the CD with permanent markers. Tape on construction paper ears and let the children insert their index finger in the hole to make a trunk. (Grown up fingers are too large for the hole!)
Directions: Cut around the back of one finger on the glove. On the
front side, cut slanted lines to resemble the tail of a mouse. Attach
small felt circles for ears. Glue on wiggly eyes and draw whiskers
with the marker. 
