How to Make Easy Forest Animals Puppets {Printable}

Last Updated on September 26, 2025 by Sheryl Cooper

Inside: These forest animals puppets are so easy to make, and we’ve even given you free printables. Simply add a craft stick and invite your preschoolers to use them as a prop during circle time!

Using props during circle time is the secret to keeping them engaged.

In fact, I’ve discussed this in my most popular video on YouTube, The Secrets to a Successful Circle Time.

But it’s even more special when the children can put together their own props, such as these forest animals stick puppets.

Easy, fun, and an important part of our forest animals theme!

How to Make Easy Forest Animals Puppets

Table of Contents

Using puppets during circle time is a great way to work on language skills! You can use them while reading a book, reciting a fingerplay, or singing a song.

Supplies

Forest animals printables (available towards the end of this post)
Watercolors
Large craft sticks
Tacky glue or strong tape

Set Up

Place the forest animals printables on a table with watercolors, brushes, and water.

The Activity

After reading a favorite book that involves a forest animal, explain to the preschoolers that they are going to paint one at the table.

Books:

I invited our preschoolers to choose which animal they wanted to paint, and use whatever colors they wished.

When finished, let dry completely.

Assembling the Puppets

Cut the background away from the forest animal.

Cut peepholes where the eyes of the animal are, so that the preschoolers can look through their puppets.

Use tacky glue or sturdy tape to adhere the stick to the back of the forest animal.

Once all the sticks are on the animals, they are now puppets that can be used for circle time.

How to Make Easy Forest Animal Puppets with Toddlers

Download the free forest animals color pages to make these forest animal puppets. They can also be used in the writing center with markers or crayons to build fine motor skills.