One Finger Puppet _ Bird using Ball

Objective

To help teachers in creating a puppet of a Bird for story-telling and other purposes.

Estimated time to create the LTM

30 to 45 Minutes

Materials required for activity

  • Plastic ball – Depending on the type of bird we can choose the colour of the ball. Black for crow / Green for Parrot etc. (here we are using yellow ball for demonstration purpose)
  • Color paper – Depending on the type of bird we can choose the colour of the paper. Grey for a crow / Red for a Parrot / Brown for any bird etc.
  • White chart paper for the finger pipe
  • Googly eyes
  • Pen knife
  • Glue drops or Fevicol
  • Scissors

Preparation of activity

Keep the materials ready.  If you are using hot glue instead of Fevicol, ensure that the hot glue is heated suitably and is ready for use.

Procedure

  • For the finger pipe – Roll a small strip of paper as a tube, such that it fits your forefinger/Index finger and glue it to get a pipe.
  • Cut a circular hole in the ball and fix the finger pipe into it.
  • For the beak, take a piece of brown paper. Cut two triangular pieces – one slightly bigger(A) than the other (B).
  • Fold each triangular piece into two. 
  • Take piece A. Make a small cut in the base of the triangle at the folded edge.  
  • Unfold the triangle. Slightly fold the edges* on the base upto the point where the incision was made. Repeat the same process for piece B too.
  • Take the bigger triangular piece A, apply glue to the folded edges* and fix it on the plastic ball.
  • This forms the upper part of the beak.
  • Similarly, fix the smaller triangular piece B. This will form the lower part of the beak.
  • For the eyes, take a couple of Googly eyes. Apply glue drops to the Googly eyes and fix them above the beak, on either side. Ensure that both eyes are equidistant diagonally from the beak. 
  • Allow to dry for a few minutes and the puppet is ready.
  • Insert your forefinger/ index finger into the paper pipe.
  • Move your finger up, down and sideways to demonstrate the movement of the head of a bird.

Step by Step Pictures to create the puppets

Important Tips

  1. We can use socks or gloves with stuffing as suitable for the puppet instead of using plastic ball.
  2. We can draw the eyes instead of ‘googly eyes’ (plastic eyes, which are available in the market).
  3. Wedding cards / book covers can be used instead of drawing sheets. 
  4. For reference we can take images from drawing books or the internet. 
  5. While creating the puppet, replicate the character illustration given in the children’s textbook. Once the puppet is ready, use the character’s name from the textbook. Using the name in the textbook helps children to remember the content.
  6. The teacher should use the puppet at an appropriate time. The teacher can narrate the story in a humorous manner.   The teacher may make intentional mistakes to encourage children to correct them, thereby helping them become more actively engaged.

Precautions

Precautions to be taken while manipulating finger puppets:

  1. Always keep the face of the puppet towards the audience.
  2. Focus of the Puppet Master should be on the puppet.
  3. Puppets that are talking are only activated.  Other puppets should remain in a still position.

Troubleshooting:

  1. While making a paper pipe, take the exact size of your finger/hand which you are using. It aids in the proper movement of the puppet.
  2. Use a cutter to make holes.
  3. Holes that you are making should be exactly the size of your fingers. If the hole is big, the puppet cannot fit on your fingers. If the hole is small, you cannot insert your fingers.

Instructions to the Teacher Notes to the Teacher

Puppets can be used in the classroom to teach children about emotions. They are a valuable tool for teaching rhymes, songs, stories and more. Using puppets also aids in developing motor skills, such as hand-eye coordination. Additionally, puppets can enhance communication and social skills, improve focus and concentration and help teach concepts and values.

Using the LTM

The teacher can demonstrate a ‘Puppet Show’.  Teachers can encourage the students to create these puppets and have a ‘Puppet Show’ in the classroom.

Video: How to use LTM

Source and Attribution of images
All images used in the above Assets and Aids are originally created.
This digital material has been developed by the Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vahini Inclusive Education Project, a unit of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam, as a collaborative offering in the service of our nation.