27th May 2010

Make your own Sock Puppets – cute ideas for children’s puppets from odd socks

So it’s 8.35 on a Wednesday morning, five out of six shoes found, swimming things dragged from under the bed, homework rescued from recycling and weetabix (mostly) scraped off school jumpers. And then the eldest says, “Mum, I need to make a sock puppet for class.” And I say, while tying youngest to scooter, “Great, when’s that for, darling?” And he says “Today!” and I say, calmly, “That’s a little bit short notice,” and he shouts, ” But I can’t go in without one.” And I say, less calmly, “Well you should have told me sooner, ” and he wails, ” But they’ll behead me,” and I yell, “Of course they won’t, now get your shoes on.” …does this sound at all familiar?

I’d like to be able to say that we simply knocked these up there and then, but I’m a mum not a magician and so he shuffled off to school miserable and puppetless.

But that afternoon I managed to snaffle a couple of not-too disgusting items from their dad’s secret sock drawer (it’s where he hides the socks he doesn’t want me to borrow) and we set about making these beauties. Funnily enough, they didn’t take us too long – and you could make them even faster if you use a quick-drying glue or sew the bits on. All you need is a few bits of felt or other scraps of fabric, some buttons and some wool – of and a plastic ball for the monkey.

We’ve drawn up a basic pattern for ears and eyes which you can download from the Free Projects area of the website.