Use Those Felt Scraps: Totally Not Scary Monster Puppets for Kids

Halloween monsters! Spooky! Um, now your 4-year-old is in tears. She’s not exactly ready for the fill-on ghoulishly scary experience that comes along with this holiday. That’s okay. This kids’ craft felt art activity is far from the walking dead, vampires and chainsaw-wielding maniacs that spook their ways through horror flicks.

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So, this started with scraps. We’ve got crazy amounts of craft felt. I’m a fan of DIY felt boards, so the leftovers tend to pile up. Actually, I stash them away in a baggie, tuck them into the craft bin and usually forget all about them. What happens? I end up with a ridiculous number of felt-filled baggies.

The problem with using the scraps is that they tend to be oddly shaped. There were no circles to add on as faces or roof-shaped triangles to make houses. What to do with these bits and pieces?

Well, instead of tossing them (awfully wasteful, right?) they became sweet—not scary—monsters. Yep, your child can turn a bag, handful or a few felt scraps into perfectly adorable Halloween monster puppets. Oh yeah, you might need a few other things too.

Here’s What You’ll Need:

·        Felt scraps

·        Scissors

·        Clear-drying school glue

·        Googley eyes (I prefer a variety of sizes)

·        Thick craft sticks

Here’s What to Do:

1. Trim the scraps. Or not. It depends on what your child wants to do. She can use the scissors to create any sizes and shapes she wants.

 

2. Glue the scraps onto the tops of the craft sticks. Layer and overlap them to create hairy-looking Halloween monsters!

 

 

3. Glue the eyes onto the felt. Your child can use one giant eye or glue a group of differently sized eyes on.

 

That’s it. Well, of course, your child needs to let the glue dry. After it’s completely dry, she can play with the monster puppets. She can create her own stories or act out a monstrous tale. Don’t stop at one puppet, make a few too!

This is also an easy option for a Halloween or birthday party. Simply set out the scraps on a table and let the kiddos glue away. Use a permanent marker to write each child’s name on their puppet’s craft stick (a washable marker will run when your child holds the puppet by the handle).

You can also pack up the very few materials (felt, eyes and sticks), and put them into baggies to use later on. Easily stash the kids’ craft in your bag and bring it to grandma’s, on vacation or anywhere else!