Explore the world of puppetry with this snow-themed art activity. Puppets have been around for centuries as a means of telling stories, and this Snowman Paper Bag Puppet will encourage your child to learn about art concepts such as color, shape, texture, and form. When it's too cold to go outside and build a real snowman, give your child the chance to construct an inventive indoor creation.
What You Need:
- Paper bag (lunch bag size)
- White tempera or finger paint
- Paint brush
- Construction paper
- Clear drying, nom-toxic glue
- Children’s safety scissors
- Cotton balls or white tissue paper
- Markers
What You Do:
- Place a flattened, closed paper bag down on a washable work surface so that the flap (bottom part) is facing up. The folded flap (essentially the bottom of the bag when it is opened up) will be the snowman’s face.
- Ask your child to paint the entire front side of the bag with white paint. As an alternative, he can use his fingers instead of a paintbrush to dot different snowy textures onto the bag with the paint. Set aside to dry.
- Once the front side has dried, turn the bag over and have your child paint the back. Set aside to dry.
- Once the second side has dried, turn the bag over again (the flap should be facing you). Have your child create two eyes (circles) and a carrot nose (a triangle) by cutting pieces of construction paper.
- Glue the eyes on to the top of the bag flap. Fold the bottom of the triangle back to make a tab. Have your child place glue on the tab and glue the carrot nose onto the bag. The nose should be sticking straight out.
- Ask your child to create a hat and scarf for the snowman by cutting construction paper into the shapes needed and gluing them onto the bag. He can use the markers to design a color pattern on the scarf.
- Add texture by gluing cotton balls or crumpled tissue paper onto the bag. Your child does not need to cover the entire bag. He can pick and choose spots to cover.
- Once he's done decorating his puppet, set aside to dry.
After the snow man puppet has fully dried, your child is ready for a fun day of pretend play. Tell stories or create a puppet theater for your child's new friend!
By Erica Loop
Erica Loop has a MS in Applied Developmental Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh's School of Education. She has many years of teaching experience working in early childhood education, and as an arts educator at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh.
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