hand puppet

Also known as: glove puppet

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Last updated

June 29, 2026

Quick Summary

A hand puppet, also known as a glove puppet, is a type of puppet operated by one hand inside its hollow body. The manipulator's fingers control the head and arms, typically with the first finger in the head and the thumb and second finger in the arms. These puppets are usually seen from the waist up and lack legs. They are often made of materials like wood, papier-mâché, or rubber for the head, and wood or felt for the hands. Hand puppets are agile and quick, making them suitable for lively performances, often presented in portable booths by a single performer. Many traditional European folk heroes are depicted as hand puppets.12

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puppetry
Hand or glove puppets
…classified as follows: These have a hollow cloth body that fits over the manipulator’s hand; his fingers fit into the head and the arms and give them motion. The figure is seen from the waist upward, and there are normally no legs. The head is usually…
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…classified as follows: These have a hollow cloth body that fits over the manipulator’s hand; his fingers fit into the head and the arms and give them motion. The figure is seen from the waist upward, and there are normally no legs. The head is usually…
Read More