Goodness this was fun! The mess got a bit out of hand at times but the originality and creativity it engenerded was well worth it. I thought I'd have to encourage interactive play when the kids got some of the puppets done but immediately the puppets started talking to each other and interacting. I made a demonstration small theater over the weekend which some of the kids used before they created their own personal stages out of shoe boxes complete with scenery and a few props. The kids had me cutting slits in the tops and bottoms so the puppets could be inserted to perform.We used plastic spoons, mini records and wooden disks as the basis of the stick puppets. The campers were then able to add hair, pompoms, google eyes, and different fabrics, ribbons and foams to customize the puppets. Some of the donated yarn was gold and glitzy and became manes. Several Rapunzels appeared as very long braided yarn was located in the bags. I saw a snake and a tiger as well as a wolf at one of the tables. A mom who showed up a bit early was mobbed by all the kids showing off their puppets and what they could do with them.
Our last puppet activity was making finger puppets out of stretchy gloves and other donated gloves. Some of the kids wanted to use the whole glove and make a grouping of the puppets, most went with single fingers but used all the fingers on the glove. We'll finish this up Wednesday and add rubber gloves and test tubes as bases to use.
The Arts mini-camp is held at the Wells Branch Community Library and taught by Dianne Koehler.
