Today we will focus on the second part of our extended activity; Creating a theatre for our sock puppets using a cardboard box. Homemade puppet theatres are a great way for a family to engage in and enjoy imaginative play. 

 

What You will Need 

 

Process 

Engaging with Your Child 

This activity will focus on exploring the materials gathered with your senses and a space for artistic self-expression. Ask your child to collect craft materials to decorate their special puppet theatre. Once collected, ask your child for a helping hand to hold the box while you handle the scissors to cut the box. Remember, asking your child to help you will teach them how to be helpful and generous with others. Once the box is complete, take a moment with your child to go through the materials you have collected and ask them to use their sense of touch and smell to identify what the material is. Enrich their vocabulary by describing the material they are exploring. If they’re old enough, you can ask them to describe the material using their own words. Whenever you’re ready to begin decorating, provoke your child to lead this part by asking your child “How would you like to decorate the theatre?”. This is a great chance for your child to practice focusing their attention on a project while freely expressing their inner artist. Praise your child’s artistic efforts during the process. Art is known to stimulate children’s creative thoughts, builds their observation skills, and raises their self-esteem, all while strengthening their fine motor skills.