Making sock puppets with a preschooler is crazy, right?!? WRONG! It is so much fun, and kids are so creative. Yes, they might need extra help with glue and such, but they are at a very imaginative age and making something such as a sock puppet that they can play with and call their own can be a very fun and educational project! And what better time?! With the upcoming release of the new Muppet Movie, it's a great time to introduce puppets in case your wee one has not yet experienced their magic. 
All you really need is a sock - an adult sock works best just because it gives more room for a face and definitely covers the arm like a puppet. Girls long brightly colored tube socks are great because they are so colorful, but really, any sock will do! Especially those lonely socks who's partner has been lost in the clothes dryer! Then, use any scrap materials you have for eyes, a nose, a mouth, scales, hair or whatever your child wants to add to their puppet: yarn, felt, googly eyes, lace, cloth scraps, doll clothes, etc - the possibilities are endless.
Some tips - have your child think about their puppet first. Do they want to make a boy or a girl, a monster or a creature? Maybe an animal like a dog or a dragon. Talk to your child about what parts they might need to make (crazy curly chenille stem hair? scales? horns?) and then what materials they might want to use. Have a variety of materials available for your child to look through and get ideas. It helps the brainstorming process.
For construction, a thick glue, like Tacky Glue, works best, but you can even use glue dots (found in the glue section of craft stores, or even in the scrap booking area). You might want to use a hot glue gun if you think your child is going to want to play with the puppet right away, or use a needlepoint needle and yarn or floss and sew the items onto the sock. In any case have fun! And remember to make a few puppets so you can put on your own play!
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