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There is nothing like a lazy Saturday afternoon to enjoy family time, snacks, laughs and crafts. Our girls look forward to various crafting projects so much so, I let Big Z pick out some ideas on her own. This weekend Little Z was fussing (like the typical 2 year old she is) about wanting her hand puppets. She calls her socks hand puppets. She puts them on and sometimes I sneak to listen to her perform her hand puppet show to her dolls. It is pretty cute and funny so Big Z decided we should make her a few DIY Pop-Up Puppets.
Being the hoarder that I am, I had some empty cups cups in my upcycle crafting stash that would be perfect for mini puppets. I figured why not make them for us to enjoy plus Little Z would get some gross motor skills exercise in too. The puppets were pretty easy to put together. Dad took care of cutting the holes in the pudding cups, I did the hot glue gun work and the girls picked out the cloth and accessories they wanted. Little Z calls the brown ones her duck and geese. She is obsessed with ducks and geese and is constantly looking out at the lake in our backyard to see them. She calls the other puppets her pretty dolls. I say whatever makes her happy.
Supplies
- Hershey’s Ready to Eat Pudding cups
- 3 – 1/4 yard of fabric in colors of choice
- 4 Foam Balls
- 4 Rubber Bands
- Felt in assorted colors
- Mini fabric crafting balls
- Mini foam paint brushes with wooden handles
- Hot glue gun
- Scissors
- X-ACTO knife & marker
- Spoon (for enjoying the pudding)
Instructions
Big Z had some leftover cups snacks from last weeks Walmart run. She loves the all chocolate while the Hubs and I love the S’mores flavor. We watched Alice in Wonderland and enjoyed the pudding while Little Z napped. Normally we would save the pudding snacks for next week because they are yummy, high quality, and they make life easy during the busy school/after school week. But Big Z asked if she could have one while we watched the movie and dad said yes. I was happy too because this mama was in need a fun snack. Not to mention it’s made with Hershey’s real cocoa. You can’t beat that.
Wash and dry the snack cup then using your X-Acto knife, cut a small hole in the bottom of the cup
Put foam paint stick in the whole and wiggle to ensure it can be moved up and down. Leave the foam brush part on the outside for gripping and to make sure the puppet stays intact. Remember the two year old! Use hot glue gun to glue a foam ball to the stick.
Cut 1/4 of your fabric in the color of your choice and secure it around the foam ball with a rubber band. Use hot glue gun to secure fabric to top of cup and then glue another piece of fabric around the cup.
Decorate the covered foam ball with pieces of felt, crafting balls and anything else you have on hand. Little Z decided yarn hair was not necessary. Kids I tell you.
Test the puppet to make sure it pop in and out of the cup. Enjoy a puppet show with the little playing director. With the holiday’s right around the corner, there are many ideas that come to mind for other DIY pop-up puppets.
Here’s a little video showing one of our puppets in action.
You can check out more fun crafts on cups then pick up some Hershey’s Ready to Eat Pudding in the refrigerated dairy section at Walmart. Grab a copy of the September/October issue of All You magazine near the checkout aisle. There’s a $0.55 off coupon for the Hershey’s Ready to Eat Pudding!
Don’t forget to save the cups. What are your favorite ideas?
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