FUN ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS TO DO TOGETHER
How about having
Fun with the Sock
Puppet Project?
Since Beloved moves to a new home in the story, and leaves her old friends and expects to make new friends, it’s all about her neighborhood – both the old one and the new one.
Maybe you have done that sometime, too, and you know how that can feel. You can learn about friendships and lots of other things in Beloved’s story. Wouldn’t it be fun to tell your very own story as a puppet show? Here’s some help for both children and adults to get you started. Of course you can make up your own story however you want it to be.
Ann Gonzales, the author, wants to say hello to you, too. CLICK HERE TO SEE WHAT SHE SAYS TO YOU ABOUT SOCK PUPPETS .
1. Start by finding any unmatched socks you have in your home. You know, the ones that go into the wash as a pair, and one gets lost along the way!
2. Choose characters from Beloved and the Pepper Tree’s story you see or hear when you read it or it’s read to you. You can see the whole book by downloading it at the top of Beloved’s Neighborhood Activities .
Beloved
Pepper Tree
Beloved’s friends – old ones and new ones
Animals in the book
Nature you see in the book
3. Share how you feel about the people, animals, and nature by having your puppets talk. There is no right or wrong way to do any of this. Each puppet is different and perfect, just like people, just like you. You might even have one of your puppets sing a song you make up!
4. Make faces, hair, clothes, or anything you want on each sock to make a sock puppet for any people, animals, or nature in the story. You can use whatever you want to make that. Here are a few ideas:
Paint
Glue
Draw
Sew
Non-sewn
Filled/stuffed
www.Pinterest.com – search for sock puppets to get ideas
5. Now that you have some sock hand puppets, it’s time to make a puppet stage. You can do this from a table, other furniture, a box, a sheet or blanket, or even by hiding next to a doorway.
6. Tell your Beloved story as a puppet show. You can use the book’s story and make it your own by using some of these ideas or others you think of. You don’t need to use all of these ideas. They can help you think of stories YOU want to tell.
How did Beloved and the friends she was leaving behave?
How did Beloved make new friends after she moved?
What did Beloved and her Momma talk about?
Did Beloved make friends with any animals or plants in nature?
Why were Beloved’s friends so important to her?
Did Beloved enjoy her new home as much as her old home? Why?
What did you discover and learn from Beloved and from her friends?
What would YOU like Beloved and her friends to do?
Do you see more ways to have fun outside, maybe playing in nature?
How can you help yourself and your friends feel better even though you are leaving?
What ideas do you have to help Beloved, the Pepper Tree, and her other friends?
7. Take pictures of your new sock puppets to remember them and to share what you did with other people.
8. Do a video of your very own Beloved and the Pepper Tree puppet show.
9. Share the photos and videos with friends, family, classmates, and send them to share at www.AnnGonzalesArt.com
10. Be sure to have fun with this. Who knows, you may make new friends by inviting them to learn about Beloved and the Pepper Tree and make their own sock puppets, too. There will be a special place at Beloved’s Neighborhood Club for you to get ideas, meet other people all over the world, have a great time making stories, and doing your wonderful puppet shows.
