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Welcome to our Puppet Workshop Forum where you'll find lesson techniques, puppet and stage set up suggestions, resources, a puppet manual, and more. Specific Bible story-related lessons using puppets are found by Bible story in the Lesson Forums.  Be sure to check the Lego & Storytable workshop and Drama workshop forums for other storytelling ideas.

Where to Buy Puppets and Puppet Patterns

jesuspuppetMember Arlene asked this question to start off this topic...

Question:
We have $ to spend on a set of three or four basic puppets. I have heard that there are puppets which can be changed and aren't just one character.

We want Bible characters and we will be working with grades 1-6. Does anyone know of a catalog or an online site that you would suggest?  ~Arlene



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Last edited by CreativeCarol
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the cover of the Puppets book by Kurt Hunter

My favorite source of a "pattern" on how to make puppets is found in the book by Kurt Hunter, Puppets, Kids, and Christian Education

More on his "handle bag" rod puppets can be found here.

More photos of these puppets in use at our church can be found here.





Combining several other replies to this topic...


A post by "psalm_77"

Making Puppets out of Stuffed Animals
One easy and cheap way to make puppets is to go to your local thrift store/rummage sales and get stuffed animals.

  • Open them up from the back and take out enough stuffing to be able to work them as puppets.  I usually leave in most of the head and arm stuffing in.
  • The beanie baby toys work really well for small hands!
  • It's especially nice for puppets that you wouldn't use very often... for example, we used a free skit found on the net for our preschoolers called (I think) "Glad I'm not a Turkey". The characters were a sheep and an eagle, which we changed to a rooster because I found a small stuffed rooster at the Goodwill for 49 cents. 

Posted by "RevCarolyn"

You can get male and female Bible figures in a variety of skin and hair tones. High-quality stuff. Great price. I even ordered a few modern day puppets. www.puppetpartners.com



Posted by "Rotation Friend"

Just came across this very fun puppet idea using tennis balls!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZcX0hxIjmU


Tennis Ball Puppets

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Last edited by CreativeCarol

Book:  "The Foam Book: An Easy guide to Building Polyfoam Puppets" (9780967857503).The Foam Book

 

From the book I used the method to craft Mouth Rod puppets out of upholstery foam.

I made a generic "Bible Man" and "Bible Woman" (very old and wise of course) and use them to tell stories.

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Last edited by Luanne Payne

Inexpensive pre-sewn puppet shapes to create your own puppets by Chenille Kraft.

To purchase do on-line search for sites/stores that carry them (search words "Canvas Mouth or Body Puppets 6 pack"). 

Two styles to choose from:

  1. "Canvas Mouth Puppets" (pkg of 6) - each Measures 9.5" x 5.25". . 
  2. "Canvas Hand Puppets" (pkg of 6) - each Measures 9.5" x 9.5".
  • Made from heavyweight canvas.
  • Design your own puppet characters (can be painted on and embellished with all types of materials).
  • Thinking with strategically placed velcro you can quickly change an outfit, hair colour, add a mustache, etc.

 

Canvas Hand PuppetsCanvas Body Puppet

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Last edited by Luanne Payne

I just received an Oriental Trading catalog, and it has some cute "Happy Kids Hand Puppets" -- these would be great for role playing and modern day story types of puppet activities. Or I imagine you could dress them up in simple Bible times tunics and headdresses for simple Bible times puppets.

 

See how happy they look!?!  

 

So, while I was at www.orientaltrading.com I decided to do a search for Bible puppets and found these finger puppets. Not as much fun as talking mouth puppets, but cute (and cheap!). (Note that the one review is a negative one, that they are not very sturdy)

 Other finger puppet choices for Christmas and Easter:

 

Remember that Oriental Trading changes merchandise often, so search their site for "Bible puppets" and see what you find when you need to buy.

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