Here’s a super fun craft to enjoy with your little one from our latest contributor, Natalie Kramer. We’re huge fans of the highly original yet simple crafts on her blog Schaeresteipapier. Happy crafting!

Hi, my name is Natalie. I love to do cool stuff with my son. You’re looking at my first DIY tutorial for Handmade Charlotte. Hope all of you will have as much fun as i did making and playing with this googly-eyed hand puppet!

Hand puppets are my favorite kind of toys. I always have a set of them in my hand bag. They’re perfect for waiting rooms, boredom on a trip, and rainy days at home. Put the googly-eyes on and you’ve got the children giggling in no time…

Kids ages 4 and up can easily make this craft. Let’s get started!

Materials

• Two 1-inch wooden beads
• Two small color beads
• Elastic cord, 8-inch
• Blue paint (I used nail polish)
• Permanent markers, in black and white
• Old cd (for the stencil)
• Scissors
• Two chop sticks
• Dish

Step 1
Put the wooden beads on the chop sticks and lay them flat over a dish. Hold the cd hole over the first bead and paint a blue circle. Paint the second one as well.Let them dry.

Step 2
After 10 minutes, when they are dry, paint a small black circle in the middle of the blue with the black marker. Add an even smaller point with the white marker. Your blue eyes are ready!

Step 3
Cut an 8-inch piece of elastic cord. Thread the four wooden beads (color bead, two eyes, color bead) and make a knot. Adjust the elastic cord for larger or smaller hands, if necessary.

Your hand puppet is ready for wrapping around fingers! Have fun with it!

Note: With smaller wooden beads and a longer elastic cord (10-inch), you have a perfect ponytail holder for your little girl.

Here are some pictures of our googly-eyed puppets in action:

Simply put on any finger and you’ve got an instant, hilarious hand puppet!

In a waiting room, on trip… have a pocket-sized puppet in your bag!