Make Family Paper Bag Puppets

Create Your Family Puppets

Lay the bag flat so that the bottom flap is facing up and at the top. Draw a family member’s face on the bottom flap of the bag. The rest of the bag will become the body. You can use crayons, markers, or glued on construction paper shapes for clothes. Add yarn for hair. Create one puppet for each member of your family.

If you don’t have these craft supplies to make the puppets, you look around your home for socks, toys, or stuffed animals that you can use.

Add Personal Touches

As you make each puppet, talk about the family member it represents. You might consider prompts like:

• What’s your sister’s favorite color?

• What does she like to wear?

• What does she like to do?

• What do you love about her?

Share and Play

When you have finished, exchange puppets so everyone has a person other than themselves—maybe a parent, sibling, or grandparent!

Role Play Feelings

Pretend one puppet isn’t feeling well—maybe tired, sad, or upset. Other puppets can ask questions like:

• How does the puppet seem to feel? What clues tell us that?
• Let’s ask the puppet to find out if we are right about how they feel. How do you feel?
• What could we do to help them feel better?

Practice Empathy and Compassion

Use the puppets to practice when someone in your family isn’t feeling well:

• As you ask how they feel, listen carefully while they share.
• Repeat back what you hear, like, “It sounds like you’re feeling tired and your tummy hurts. Is that right?” This helps them know that you understand or, if you don’t fully understand, they have the opportunity to explain more.
• Show you want to help. Let them know that you want to understand their needs so you can offer support. You can ask, “What would help you feel better?” If they’re not sure, you could offer some suggestions and ask if they might need time to rest, a hug, or a glass of water.