Friendly Monster Puppet Lesson Plan: An Easy Halloween Craft for Preschoolers

Looking for a fun, no-scare Halloween activity for your little ones? This complete lesson plan guides you through creating adorable paper bag monster puppets. Perfect for preschoolers and kindergarteners, this craft develops fine motor skills, sparks creativity, and encourages language development through imaginative play. Includes a full materials list, step-by-step instructions, and differentiation tips for a monster-ously good time in your classroom or at home.

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Halloween Lesson: Create a Friendly Monster Puppet

Materials Needed

  • Brown or white paper lunch bags (1 per child)
  • Child-safe glue or glue sticks
  • Construction paper in various colors (black, orange, purple, green, etc.), some cut into simple shapes like triangles, circles, and strips.
  • Googly eyes of different sizes
  • Markers or crayons
  • Yarn or string for hair
  • Pom-poms, pipe cleaners, foam shapes, and any other fun craft supplies
  • A tablecloth or newspaper to protect your work surface

Learning Objectives

  • Fine Motor Skills: Viviana, Reggie, Allegra, and Florence will practice grasping, pinching, gluing, and placing small objects, which strengthens hand-eye coordination.
  • Creativity & Self-Expression: Each child will design a unique monster, making their own choices about colors, shapes, and features.
  • Language Development: The children will be encouraged to talk about their monster, give it a name, and describe what it looks like, building their vocabulary.
  • Cognitive Skills: Children will practice decision-making ("How many eyes should my monster have?") and identifying basic shapes and colors.

Lesson Procedure

  1. Part 1: The Monster Introduction (5 minutes)

    Gather the children and sit together. Start by reading a short, friendly monster story or singing a silly monster song (like "If You're a Monster and You Know It").

    Teacher talk: "Today we are going to become monster makers! But our monsters won't be scary; they are going to be super friendly and silly. Viviana, what color do you think a friendly monster would be? Reggie, do you think a monster could have three eyes?"

  2. Part 2: The Creation Station (20-25 minutes)

    Lay out all the craft supplies in the middle of the protected table so everyone can reach them. Give each child a paper bag.

    Step 1: Show them how the paper bag works as a puppet. Place your hand inside with your fingers in the folded bottom flap. This flap will be the monster's mouth.

    Step 2: Encourage them to start creating! There are no rules for how a monster should look.

    Guidance and Questions:

    • "Allegra, I see you chose some big googly eyes! Where will you glue them?"
    • "Florence, would you like to use this bumpy pipe cleaner for an antenna or a silly tail?"
    • Help them apply glue if needed, but let them choose where to put the items. You can make dots of glue for them to place items on.
    • Encourage them to use markers to draw a mouth, spots, or stripes inside the flap and on the body.

  3. Part 3: The Monster Puppet Parade (10 minutes)

    Once the puppets are mostly dry, it's time for them to come to life!

    Teacher talk: "Everyone, let's meet these amazing monsters! Viviana, what is your monster's name? Does it have a special voice?"

    Let each child introduce their puppet. Encourage them to make their puppet talk, dance, or give a friendly "ROAR!" You can put on some fun music for a monster dance party. This turns their craft into a fun toy and encourages imaginative play.

  4. Part 4: Clean-Up Time (5 minutes)

    Make cleaning up a game. "Okay, little monsters, can you help me put all the leftover pom-poms back in their bowl? Let's see who can find all the red paper scraps!"

Differentiation and Support

  • For children who need more support: Offer larger, easier-to-grip items like big pom-poms and pre-cut foam shapes. Use a glue stick instead of liquid glue for less mess. You can also offer to make glue dots on the bag and let the child place the items on top.
  • For children who need a challenge: Provide child-safe scissors and show them how to snip a fringe on a piece of paper for hair or a skirt. Encourage them to tell a short story about their monster: where it lives, what it likes to eat, and who its friends are.

Assessment (Informal Observation)

  • Observe Fine Motor Skills: Was the child able to pick up and place items? Did they attempt to use glue or markers?
  • Check for Engagement: Did the child seem interested and involved in the creative process? Did they make choices independently?
  • Listen for Language: Did the child use words to describe their puppet (e.g., "blue monster," "happy," "three eyes")? Did they participate in the puppet show?
  • Review the Final Product: The finished puppet itself showcases their effort, choices, and creative expression. The goal is participation and fun, not a perfect product.
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