This simple puppet craft idea is simply genius. Using artwork your child has made in the past or makes for this purpose, you can create a whole cast of puppet characters from their art masterpieces. This puppet arts and crafts project will help kids engage more with the creative process of storytelling at home or in the classroom.

Puppets Crafted from Children’s Art

I love seeing children’s drawings and spotting how they change as the children get older and start to add in little details such as fingers, freckles and eyelashes.

But what do you do with all your child’s pictures?

This puppet craft idea will bring that artwork to life through the magic of puppetry!

Supplies Needed To Make A Super Cute Puppet From Your Child’s Art

• Children’s artwork – various sizes and mediums are great
• Scissors or preschool training scissors
• Tape
• (Optional) glue stick
• (Optional) construction paper or card stock for backing
• Popsicle stick, craft stick, lollipop stick or dulled skewer

How to make a puppet from your child’s art

These simple puppets are super easy to make and you can involve your child at every stage.

Step 1

Start by inviting your child to do some drawings or make use of ones you already have. Your child might like to draw members of your family, make some favorite story characters or create some imaginative creatures.

Step 2

Next, cut out your pictures. If your child is able they can have a try with the scissors as you don’t need to worry about being too precise.

Tip: If the artwork was created on flimsy paper or the artwork is large and tends to fold easily, reinforce the art by gluing construction paper or card stock to the back of the art with a glue stick.

Step 3

Finally complete your simple puppets by fastening a lollipop stick or a twig onto the back with some sticky tape and you are ready to play.   If you have extra supplies, here are more lollipop stick puppets you can make.

Finished Art Puppet Ideas for Pretend Play

Puppets are an excellent type of play for developing language skills and for role playing how real-life relationships work.

• You can play along with your child and make the characters have a conversation together, or leave your child to it and listen in to the stories they make up – like this one about a scary monster. You can often hear then using phrases they’ve picked up in stories you’ve read together.
• If you have a change coming up, perhaps starting school or moving to a new house, puppet play can be a useful way to test out the new situation with your child and let them explore how they will cope with the changes. We’ve used puppets to help prepare for a doctor’s visit and for a new baby coming along.
• The sticks on these puppets make them very easy for children to hold and manipulate. You might like to set up a theater behind a sofa or shine a light on the puppets to create animated shadows on the wall.

More Puppet Crafts from Kids Activities Blog

• Let’s make a sock puppet! <–doesn’t require sewing!
• Oh so many ideas for crafting puppets for kids.
• Finger puppets kids can make!
• Easy shadow puppets you can create at home.
• Paper bag puppets that are super easy to make!
• Make these heart puppets out of felt…super easy puppet craft.
• Kids can draw a puppet with this cute art idea.
• Check out these silly paper bag puppets!

How did your kids artwork puppet crafts turn out?