My Family Puppets: Magazine Cutouts + Popsicle Sticks

Level 2 strengthens comprehension + application.

Objectives

Materials

Instructions

Materials

- Old magazines with diverse family pictures

- Safety scissors (child-safe)

- Glue sticks

- Popsicle sticks (craft sticks)

- Manila paper or cardstock

- Crayons or markers

- Pre-recorded family song (e.g., "Finger Family")

- A basket or box for collecting pictures

Learning Objectives

- Children will be able to identify and name different family members from magazine cutouts.

- Children will verbally describe their own families using descriptive words.

- Children will demonstrate fine motor skills through cutting, gluing, and manipulating puppet sticks.

- Children will engage in imaginative play by using their family puppets to tell simple stories.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Gather the children and introduce the theme: "Today, we're going to make special puppets to tell stories about our families!" Sing a familiar family song together to get everyone excited about home and family.

2. Explain that they will be creating puppets representing members of their families. Show them the magazines and explain they can find pictures that look like people in their homes.

3. Invite children to look through the magazines and cut out pictures of people they think might be like family members (e.g., a grown-up, a child, a pet). Assist with cutting as needed. Encourage them to find a variety of people who might live in a home.

4. Provide each child with a piece of manila paper or cardstock. Ask them to glue their chosen pictures onto the paper. Prompt them with questions like, "Who does this person look like? Is this like someone in your family?"

5. Once the pictures are glued, have the children glue a popsicle stick to the back of each picture to create a handle for their puppet.

6. Encourage children to use crayons or markers to add details to their puppets or the backgrounds on their paper, perhaps drawing their house.

7. When the puppets are dry, gather the children again. Ask each child to introduce their puppet and describe who it is. "This is my puppet. This is like my mum. She likes to cook."

8. Invite children to use their puppets to act out a simple scenario, like having dinner at home or playing together. You can start a simple story and have them add to it with their puppets.

Educator Tip

When scanning magazines, encourage children to find pictures of people who resemble family members they know. It's okay if they don't find an exact match; the goal is for them to make connections to their own family structures. Ensure scissors are handled safely. If some children struggle with cutting, offer pre-cut shapes or have them focus more on drawing and decorating their puppets.

Assessment

Observe if children can identify and name different family members they have cut out or drawn. Listen to their descriptions of their families and note their use of vocabulary. Assess their fine motor skills as they cut, glue, and manipulate the popsicle sticks. Collect their puppet creations as a tangible representation of their understanding and engagement with the "My Family" theme.

Educator tip

Require complete thoughts; photograph work for portfolios.

Assessment

Assess against Early Learning Goals (ELGs). Document evidence of 'expected' or 'exceeding' descriptors. Note: independent application of skills, ability to explain reasoning, and capacity to build on prior learning. Anecdotal notes + puppet show quality.

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