If your little ones love animals and are looking to do a bit of crafting, why not try your hand at making a cute koala finger puppet from very simple and cheap supplies? This activity is great for anyone who loves imaginative play and can even be used to act out the story of Rachel Bright and Jim Field’s koala picture book, The Koala Who Could. There are lots of other animals that can be made in a similar way, so you could include Kevin’s friends too, but for now let’s look at a step-by-step guide to making the koala. 

You will need:

1. Grey and black card

2. Googly eyes

3. Scissors

4. Glue 

5. Pencil

6. Circle hole punch

Method 

Once you’ve gathered your materials, you can start to create your puppet. Here’s how:

Step 1: Download and print a template 

The easiest way to make this finger puppet is to download and print a template for all the different parts. You can then cut these shapes out and assemble your puppet easily. If you don’t have a template to hand then you’ll need to cut out the following from the grey card you have.

A circle of approximately three to four inches wide. This will be the biggest of all the circles and form the body of your koala.

• A small circle to form the head and two even smaller circles for the ears. You can use the circle you cut for the body to judge how big you want the other circles to be. 
• You’ll need two small circles for the koala paws too.
• A small oval cut out of black card.

Step 2: Cut out the finger holes

Using a circle hole punch, cut out two finger holes from the main body of the koala. Make sure your fingers can fit through these holes nicely. For younger children it’s recommended to use a 3/4-inch size circle punch. For older children, or adults, you will want to use a 1-inch circle punch.

Step 3: Assemble and glue

You can then start to assemble your finger puppet. Stick the black nose in the middle of the head shaped circle and stick on the googly eyes. Glue the ears to the side of the head and then stick the head to the body. Stick the paws onto the body. You can then stick two small circles of pink card to the inside of the ears if you want a bit more detail. Draw a smile and leave to dry. Your koala puppet will then be ready to play with. 

If you and your family love koalas, The Koala Who Could is currently touring the UK. This child-friendly and wonderfully heart-warming koala show is based on the much-loved picture book and teaches little ones about stepping out of their comfort zone and making new friends. It’s sure to put a smile on the whole family’s faces. Buy your tickets today at a theatre near you and enjoy the story of this koala reading book on the big stage.