Toddler Talk: Puppet Party

Last week, our classroom focus was to talk about what our hands can do. We have an ongoing issue- let's call it a behavioral challenge- with knowing how to be gentle to fellow classmates! Although it is developmentally appropriate to not have 100% control of your hands and emotions at the age of 2 and pushing a kid down because they tried to take your toy (or perhaps just walked past you and you presumed that they had plans to take your toy even though they really had no such intention) seemed at the time like the most logical course of action, we want to instill in our little human friends a demeanor of kindness and calm with respect to others. 

For the week's 'What can we do with our hands?' theme, we added books on the topic, had many hands on activities and had a few teacher lead group times to discuss the topic. We all agreed that our hands are used to be gentle to others. 

One of the art activities was to decorate puppets...and then use them of course! Another opportunity to discuss what hands can do and perhaps have the puppets do the talking about how to be gentle...it's weird, but it seems that messages about life are often better heard when coming from the 'mouth' of a puppet vs a grown up teacher type. We didn't have any puppets to decorate, so I made some. I went with a simple cotton mit design that the hand would fit in and be able to bend in half to 'talk' to friends or other puppets:

A rough pattern, then cut out with a seam allowance all around...

Next, ends folded up and ironed down to make the finished product neat and tidy...

Sewed up the bottom hem on each piece, fit two pieces together 'inside out' to sew in place...

Inside out and right side in...

I then cut a piece of cardboard to slip inside each one so the kids could color and not have their designs bleed thru to the other side...

Decorating...

And playing...

I think the kids enjoyed it and we had fun using our hands to talk to each other about life. And about what hands can do...and not do:)