Ollie
Make a friendly sock puppet named Ollie using a sock, buttons, and fabric glue. Practice cutting, decorating, and storytelling skills.
Step-by-step guide to make a sock puppet named Ollie
Training with Ollie, the Husky, using play and affection as reinforcement. Ivan Balabanov's TWC
Step 1
Gather all the materials listed and bring them to a clear workspace.
Step 2
Put the sock on your hand to check how Ollie will fit and where the face should be.
Step 3
Use a marker to place two dots where you want Ollie's eyes to go.
Step 4
Use a marker to draw a curved line where you want Ollie's mouth to open.
Step 5
Take the sock off your hand and lay it flat on the table.
Step 6
Cut a small oval from felt to become Ollie's mouth.
Step 7
Put a small amount of stuffing into the toe area to form a rounded head shape.
Step 8
Apply fabric glue to the buttons and press them onto the eye marks you made earlier.
Step 9
Glue the felt mouth onto the sock at the mouth mark.
Step 10
Cut several short strands of yarn for Ollie's hair.
Step 11
Glue the yarn strands to the top of the sock to make hair for Ollie.
Step 12
Decorate Ollie using colouring materials and fabric scraps to add a nose eyebrows or other fun details.
Step 13
Let all the glue dry completely before using the puppet.
Step 14
Put your hand inside Ollie and practice telling a short story using different voices and expressions.
Step 15
Share your finished Ollie puppet on DIY.org
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can I use if I can't find fabric glue, felt, or buttons?
Use craft glue or a low-heat hot glue gun instead of fabric glue, cut the mouth from scrap fabric or thick paper if you don't have felt, and substitute buttons with glued-on beads, sequins, or simply draw the eyes with a marker at the eye marks you made in step 3.
My buttons or felt mouth won't stick and the stuffing looks lumpy—what should I do?
Apply a thin, even layer of fabric or craft glue, press the buttons onto the eye marks and the felt mouth onto the mouth mark and let everything dry flat for at least an hour, and smooth the stuffing into small pockets inside the toe before gluing to avoid lumps (or hand-sew those pieces if glue won't hold).
How can I adapt this puppet activity for different ages?
For younger children, pre-cut the felt mouth and yarn, use large safety eyes or drawn-on eyes and have an adult handle scissors and glue, while older kids can cut shapes themselves, sew buttons for durability, try fabric paints for decorating in step 11, and write a short script for step 12.
How can we extend or personalize Ollie after finishing the basic puppet?
Make removable clothes from fabric scraps with Velcro, add a small bell or rice pouch inside the toe for a sound effect, embroider permanent facial details instead of colouring, build a cardboard puppet theater to practice step 12, and then share your performance on DIY.org.
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Facts about puppet-making and fabric crafts for kids
⏱️ Choosing fabric glue over stitching can speed up a sock-puppet project so you can finish Ollie in under 30 minutes.
🧷 Buttons were used for decoration long ago — some early buttons were discovered in the Indus Valley civilization around 2000–2500 BCE.
🧠 Playing with puppets helps kids build storytelling skills, expand vocabulary, and gain confidence on stage or at home.
🎭 Puppetry is one of the oldest theatre arts, with examples found in ancient Egypt, Greece, and across Asia.
🧦 Sock puppets are a playful type of hand puppet — fun fact: “sock puppet” also describes a fake online identity!
How do I make a friendly sock puppet named Ollie?
What materials do I need to make Ollie the sock puppet?
What ages is this sock puppet activity suitable for?
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