Raven (or Crow) Felt Finger Puppet

Caw, Caw! Share some of that lunch?

How-to Hints:  Cut 2 body shapes out of black felt (template below).  Glue two pieces of black feather boa to the middle of the back piece.  When dry, sew front and back together.  Cut small feet and beak from orange felt.  I added a small piece of yellow feathery yarn behind the top of the beak for whimsy. For eyes, I cut a gold sequin in half and added black beads.  Fabric paint would also work well.  I also shoved a little pillow stuffing in the head with a pencil to give it a rounded, 3D (sort-of) look... Have fun!

For a story to go with these puppets, try Martha, by Gennady Spirin.  It's about a family who rescues an injured crow.  They take the crow to the vet, who advises putting it down. The family decides to see if they can nurse it back to health. They succeed, and the crow gets into a little mischief along the way (imagine a crow in your house!).  Eventually, Martha is set free, healed and flying. This compassionate tale is made all the better by extraordinary art work. Little ones will be able to "see" the story before they can read it, pointing out details that the text doesn't cover.  But that's not all!!  The setting of the tale is in Moscow, so kids end up with a window into another culture.  Check it out!

Raven Finger Puppet Pattern