Weekend Fun: Twig People Finger Puppets!
Fall is a perfect time to take a walk around the neighborhood or explore one of the many hiking trails in Franklin Township. Bring a bag with you to collect leaves, twigs, and acorns and turn them into finger puppets!
On your next visit to the library, check out Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert – it will inspire you to create your own leaf people. Older students might like the 1947 Newbery Medal winner Miss Hickory by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey, which is about a little doll made of twigs with a hickory nut for a head who has trouble getting along with the animals around her. Some think the ending is grim, others think it is satire with hidden lessons throughout, but everyone agrees that this fantasy helps develop awareness of the natural world around us. See what you think.
Extend the story by making your own Twig People Finger Puppets!
What you need:
- Leaves
- Twigs
- Paper or cardstock, any kind
- Optional: assorted moss, acorns, etc., if you find them.
- Tape
- Black permanent marker
- Glue
- Scissors
- Pencil
What you do:
- Take a walk in your yard or neighborhood to collect leaves and twigs.
- Cut a piece of paper approx. 4 inches tall and 3 inches wide.
- Roll it into a tight tube that fits your finger and tape it in place.
- Use the black permanent marker to draw a face on one of the leaves.
- Tape the leaf inside the tube so that it sticks out at the top – this is the head.
- Use the pencil to poke two holes in the tube for arms and two for legs.
- Break small pieces of twigs and push them through the holes for arms and legs.
- Put your finger in the bottom of the tube to bring your puppet to life!
- Optional: Draw eyes and mouths on paper, then cut them out and paste them on the leaf for a face.
Make one for each finger and make up your own stories for a puppet show!
