Puppet Making!
This term, we leaned into the cosy feel of darker afternoons and dedicated our art sessions to the magical world of puppetry. Using cardboard, string, fabric, glue guns, split pins, wool, and a huge amount of imagination, the children explored a wide range of puppet-making techniques. From marionettes to finger puppets, each week built new skills in construction, movement, storytelling, and performance.
Week 1 – Loo-Roll Hand Puppets
We began the term with simple, playful loo-roll puppets attached to the children’s hands. This was a great warm-up project: easy to make, confidence boosting, and perfect for encouraging imaginative play right from the start. The children loved experimenting with faces, personalities, and voices for their new characters.
Week 2 – String-Leg Puppets
Next, we introduced movement by creating puppets with dangling string legs. This added a new challenge: how to make a puppet that moves. The results were brilliant, bears, birds, ninjas, mushrooms, and more. The children learned how to balance materials, attach limbs, and bring their creatures to life with shakes, wiggles, and stomps.
Week 3 – Peg Puppets
In week three, we switched to peg-based puppets, exploring how a simple household item can become a character. Little birds, chameleons and fantastical creatures emerged. This activity encouraged precision and attention to scale, as the children decorated tiny features on their peg characters.
Week 4 – Paper Sewn Finger Puppets
This week introduced sewing skills using wool on paper templates. The children practised fine motor control while stitching the pieces together to form colourful finger puppets. They approached this task with great focus and were proud of the intricate results. For many, it was their first experience of hand sewing, an exciting new skill.
Week 5 – Felt Baubles
The intention was puppets, the result, Christmas baubles! We couldn’t get away from the festive excitement. Each child carefully designed and crafted a giant felt bauble, they hung it on our magnetic tree and followed with a game of musical stuffing!
Week 6 – Festive Egg-Box Decorations
To end the year on a celebratory note, the final session will be focused on festive paper decorations, neatly presented in decorated egg boxes. This lighter, joyful session should give everyone a chance to relax, reflect, and take something home to share.
Next up: We welcome everyone back to Goldfinch after the holidays he summer to join us for our Jan/Feb Architecture Term
A playful way to develop spatial awareness and a sense of scale. Children develop problem-solving skills by working out how to make their creations stand up and join together. This term is always a favourite as they can explore freely with very popular glue guns (double-sided tape and glue sticks are on offer for the younger children).
Jan/Feb Kids and Teens Art Classes are all up for booking.
Mondays – Kids Art Club (6 – 10 years)
Tuesdays & Wednesdays – Kids Art Club (4 – 7 years)
Fridays – Teens Art Club (11 – 16 years)
Take a look at our Feb Half Term Holiday Art Clubs for 4 – 13 years!
