Plan B: How to Reuse Those Old Socks
We’ve all got some extra socks. Whether it’s from a sock lost during a wash, or it’s starting to get holes, there are at least a few stray or unusable socks in your drawers. The thing is, you don’t have to throw these away. In this day and age, almost anything is recyclable, including socks! Now, with the weather turning colder, it’s the perfect time to do some crafts with the kids and turn those old socks into something fun.
Setting the scene
Imagine going on a walk with the kids; it’s nippy outside, and after enjoying the falling leaves you decide to head back home. Instead of each person retreating to their designated spot in the house, how about more quality time together? What better way to finish off the evening than with a steaming cup of hot chocolate, and spending some more time with the kids doing crafts? You can have fun with the old socks and then stock up on some NEW hiking socks!
What you can make
Sock puppets! Who doesn’t love a fun sock puppet?! They offer endless ways to use your imagination, plus they keep your hands warm on a cold night! Just make sure to wash them first!
So, how do I make these sock puppets?
Good job you asked. It’s simple. First, you need to start off with a sock (duh). Hiking socks work best, as they’re the most durable, otherwise any old sock will do. So that’s step one.
Step 2: Have everyone assemble their materials into a large shoe box. This keeps you from wasting time constantly searching for things. At the bare minimum you need your sock, needle and thread (or a trusty glue gun), and scissors, plus any decorating items that you want, like googly eyes, glasses, jewelry, buttons etc.
Step 3: Glue or sew on the eyes wherever you would like. If your child is young, you might have to do this part for them. Experiment with a few placements before you glue them, as they might look good somewhere unexpected. Remember, this is your child’s chance to let their imagination run wild!
Step 4: To make the tongue, you can cut a small V out of felt and place it accordingly. The same goes for the nose, although this should be an oval as opposed to a V.
Step 5: For hair, it’s as simple as taking a pile of string and gluing it on top. If your child wants to get adventurous, they can cut pieces of felt in V shapes for spikes or scales and glue it to the head.
Step 6: Add in the extras! If your child wants whiskers, that’s as simple as cutting a few pieces of string. Or do they want to give the puppet glasses?! It really is up to their imagination.
Making a sock puppet is a great way to spend some quality time with your children, and lets you do something with those old socks. So what are you waiting for? Get crafting!
Image by Jodimichelle, used under Creative Commons license. This is a commissioned post. Ali also blogs over on aGreenerLifeforus.com and is a lover of Instagram too… pop over and say hello!
