Comical and cute Passover puppets gently remind us of our time in Egypt and our miraculous redemption from slavery.

The puppets are:

  • a Jewish slave in Egypt
  • Batya, daughter of King Pharaoh
  • Miriam the prophetess, sister of Moses
  • Nachshon son of Aminadov (who with total faith jumped into the raging Sea causing it to split)
  • King Pharaoh

Make all five or choose your favorite.

Materials (per puppet):

  • Hot glue gun
  • Scissors
  • Pencil
  • Ruler
  • Gold, silver permanent markers
  • Gold sequins
  • Foam sheets: size and colors vary according to the puppet: dark blue, light blue, pink, brown. 12 x 12” (30 x 30 cm). Black is optional. If making one puppet, use two colors.
  • 3 craft sticks (4 if Making Batya’s long arm)
  • 1 Styrofoam head 1 ½ “x 1 ½ “(3 ½ x 3 ½ cm)
  • 2 googly eyes (20mm), tiny pompom (1cm), red fine-tip marker
  • Optional: thin twine, pieces of cloth material for belts

Directions (See photos):

  1. Glue 2 sticks to a total of 7” long. Glue 3rd stick horizontally across leaving about ½-inch at the top to insert the head.
  2. Cut foam sheet for clothing 3 x 6” (7 ½ x 15 cm) and head cover 3 x 4” (7 ½ x 10 cm). Fold “clothing” in half, cut a tiny hold at the top and insert stick form. Glue “head” on.
  3. Glue INSIDE (between front and back) of clothing. Fold OUTSIDE corners in 1 inch on both sides and glue securely. Attach a piece around the puppet for a belt or sash. (see photo)
  4. Glue on eyes, nose (pom pom) and eyebrows (1 x ½ cm from foam sheet), draw mouth with red marker. The position, straight, inward or outward, of the eyebrows show expression.
  5. Cut 3 x 4” (7 ½ x10 cm) piece of foam sheet for head cover. Arrange folds and glue. Cut and glue head band ¼ x 5” (½ x 12 ½ cm). Trim excess.
  6. Add decorations with sequins and other materials as desired. Draw stripes with the gold and silver markers on clothing as desired.

Suggestions for Details

  • Miriam’s tambourines: glue on sequins around a foam sheet circle 1 ¼ “ (3cm).
  • Pharaoh’s headdress 2 x 3” (5 x 7 ½ cm) fits in the front of the head covering.
  • Batya’s head dress: use foam sheet or gold or silver metallic corrugated card. Batya’s long arm: extend arm with 4th craft stick, measure and cut clothing 4 x 6” (10 x 15 cm) and attach to the baby Moshe’s basket, 2½ x 3” (6 ½ x 8 cm) cut from foam sheet.
  • The slave: cut and glue stone block 1 ½ x 4” (3 ½ 10 cm) from behind and straps around front and back ½ x 10” (1 ½ x 25 cm) and small “patches” on the clothing.
  • Nachshon in the Sea: cut waves from foam sheet 4 ½ x 5 ½” (11 x 14 cm) and glue on from behind.