Mary Spoon Puppets for Dramatizing

On January 1, Catholics will celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, Holy Mother of God.  This is one of the many days we honor Mary throughout the liturgical year, and I wanted my children to make something that we could use each time we learn about Mary.

A few weeks ago, I found really easy instructions for making spoon puppets of Mary posted by Martianne at Training Happy Hearts.  I thought they were a really fun idea that we could use to dramatize the events of Mary’s life throughout the year, but especially for this day, when we remember that Mary answered God’s call by naming her son Jesus, as the angel Gabriel instructed her.  You can find Martianne’s instructions here, along with details about making Mary Garden Baskets (both actual ones and paper ones to send in the mail).  While winter isn’t the best season for planting flowers, I think the paper Mary Garden Baskets would be another great activity to celebrate the Solemnity of Mary.  This is how our puppets turned out.

We did not make our clothing exactly the same way as Martinane and her children, mainly because we did not have bowls big enough to trace a circle for a dress large enough to cover the spoon.  I already had some blue fabric scraps that were about 18 x 22 inches, so I just folded them over, folded them again, and rounded off the corners with scissors.  I cut one slit in the folded corner to thread the spoon through.  My oldest daughter decided Mary needed a cloak instead of a veil, so I cut a white rectangle about 12 x 15 inches, folded it to the inside around the head and tied it with yarn.  This activity was super easy, really quick, and inexpensive; if you don’t have fabric scraps, you can look for inexpensive remnants wherever you buy fabric.

We made spoon saints last year using construction paper for the clothing; read how here.  What I like about this version with fabric clothing is the durability; Mary can participate in many play scenarios without much wear and tear.  And, I think we may try to make other saints the same way in the future; the possibilities are endless.  My children have already asked to make Joseph, so I’ll have to look for dark fabric scraps next.

Mary’s first dramatization was to ride a “donkey” on her trip to Bethlehem.  Here she is in our hallway on her way to the stable in our living room.

My oldest daughter decided her puppet could also represent Elizabeth, but Mary was still busy on the road to Bethlehem, so we will have to dramatize the Visitation later.  See our dramatization of the Annunciation here.

We already have some wonderful plaques that my children made for the Assumption of Mary in August.  I wrote about how to do this for the Feast Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe; see the post here.  If you don’t have something like this to pray or say the rosary with, you could make one for this feast using an image of Mary with the Christ child, or any image of Mary.  My friend Jen said her boys, who usually don’t enjoy doing crafts, really enjoyed making their plaques for the Virgin of Guadalupe.  Here is one they made.

We are trying to stay focused on the wait for Jesus.  A few days ago, we read Isaiah 7:14 and Isaiah 9: 6-7 and prepared a cradle for Jesus, as I suggest in my first advent post.  This year, we made mangers for Jesus based on this craft from Lacy at Catholic Icing.  My youngest preferred to make the stable instead, so I’ll help her draw in the manger on Christmas day, when we place baby Jesus into the pictures.  Here are one stable and one manger waiting for Jesus to be born.

See the finished pictures here.  Wishing you a blessed and Merry Christmas season.

Reminder: I am hosting a giveaway for my new chapbook of poems.  See my last post for details.  If you already follow or subscribe to this blog, have announced the book on social media, or have liked the FB page, all you have to do to enter is tell me you want to participate in the drawing!  FYI: If you are reading this post after December, this giveaway has already happened.

I am linking this post to the Christmas Link Up hosted by Beatriz at De FAMILIA, dos puntos, part of the Liturgical Calendar Link up Party organized by Xhonané at Familia Católica.  The Christmas season extends beyond Christmas Day, so go see the other ideas for celebrating and learning.

I have also attached this post to a Celelinky with the Saints hosted by Monica at Equipping Catholic Families.  Her link up includes posts about individual saints and for celebrating all the saints.  Go check it out.

And, since our Mary spoon puppet is making her journey to Bethlehem, I have also attached this post to Erika’s link up for advent, Preparing for Baby Jesus.  You will find even more Advent ideas by clicking on the button below.

 

One more: Jennifer at Crafolic is hosting a Month of Mary Craft and Décor Link up, so I have linked there also.  These puppets can be used to celebrate Mary year round.