Craft a Celebration of Diversity

Each January, we recognize the lasting contributions of civil rights leader and activist, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., on the third Monday of the month. The federal holiday gives us an opportunity to reflect on King’s legacy and commitment to investing in equality and diversity.

A great way to have meaningful conversations with your children is through hands-on activities that highlight their unique interests and abilities. Working on a craft together helps nurture their natural curiosity and provides one-on-one time to talk, connect, and share.

We hope to inspire you to do just that at home by making Spoon Puppets together--each with their own sense of style, of course!

Our friends Lyla (7) and Nora (4) made a set of spoon puppets to show us how! Their dad, Cody, works for Learning Care Group. Watch them at work and then gather the supplies you’ll need to get started.

You’ll need a variety of spoons, of course. Short, tall, thin, wide, etc. Wooden or plastic serving spoons work equally as well. Your design is entirely up to you! Try these ideas:

• Paint
• Markers
• Glue
• Scrap fabric, felt, or colored paper (for clothes)
• Yarn or ribbon (for hair)
• Buttons
• Googly eyes

Begin by painting the entire spoon.

Some might look great with a natural finish. Others might be fun to enhance. Try different “skin tones” by using white, beige, black, or brown. Mix them together until you get unique shades or even create your own rainbow-inspired community of people! Everyone is welcome.

Let the spoons dry completely before moving to the next step.

Now it’s time to decorate and dress them up.

Be creative! Use anything you have on hand. Wrap fabric or paper around the handles to create clothes. Glue yarn or ribbon down to create hair. Grab a marker to give them a face. Add buttons or other embellishments too! The possibilities are endless.

Remember, there are only for display now, not for use in the kitchen.

Your spoons can be used for creative, play-based adventures. Try using them as people during playtime with other stuffed animals, as the new family in your dollhouse, or to put on a fun “puppet” show!