Gingerbread Boy and Girl Puppets

Here's a craft idea that has double the entertainment value. Once the kids are done making their puppets, they can use them to put on puppet shows... just in time for the holidays.

{Gingerbread Boy Puppet by Logan, Age 2}

Materials:

• brown construction paper
• pencil/pen
• gingerbread boy/girl cookie cutters
• scissors
• craft stick/s (one per puppet)
• glue
• decorative items: yarn, buttons, puffy paint, pom poms, rickrack, sequins, etc.

Directions:

{Gingerbread Girl Puppet by Mia, Age 4}

1. Fold a piece of brown construction paper in half. Trace around a gingerbread boy or girl cookie cutter. Keeping paper folded, cut around the outline. You will end up with two identical gingerbread shapes.
2. Have your child decorate one gingerbread cutout. Mia and Logan made eyes and mouths with red puffy paint. (I helped Logan with this.) Next, he chose buttons, so I helped him with the glue. Mia cut lengths of yarn to decorate her gingerbread girl, making clothes and hair. Once the gingerbread cutout is decorated, set it aside so glue or paint can dry.
3. On the other gingerbread cutout, glue a craft stick so about half of it is sticking out the bottom.
4. Make sure all embellishments are attached and glue is dry before doing this next step. Add glue to the entire plain gingerbread cutout including the part of the craft stick that is inside. Carefully press your decorated gingerbread cutout on top of the plain one, sandwiching the craft stick in the middle. Run your finger over the top of the paper to make sure all parts are glued down.
5. Once glue is dry, you can play with your gingerbread puppets. 

P.S. Don't forget to check out my book review and giveaway for Green Grandma's Vinegar Fridays. Giveaway ends at the end of the day today (Wednesday, December 14, 2011), so you still have time! This book has many amazing tips for cleaning just about everything including pet messes and crayon marks from the walls. There is something for everyone, so be sure to like Green Grandma's Facebook page and let her know I sent you.