Best Hand Puppets for Kids of 2026

Jimmy Roof Avatar
Jimmy Roof
Last Updated: Jan 12, 2026

* We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.

Hand puppets are a classic toy for kids that provide endless hours of imaginative play. These puppets come in a variety of styles and designs, from cute animals to beloved characters from popular children's stories. They are easy to use and encourage children to use their creativity and storytelling skills. Hand puppets are also great for enhancing social skills, as kids can use them to interact with others and practice communication. Whether used for solo play or as part of a group activity, hand puppets are a fun and educational toy that kids will love.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

hand2mind Feelings Family Hand Puppets Cover #TOP 1
hand2mind Feelings Family Hand Puppets
ftb score rating icon 9.8
EZCRA Unicorn Hand Puppet Making Kit Cover #TOP 2
EZCRA Unicorn Hand Puppet Making Kit
ftb score rating icon 9.7
WATINC Hand Puppet Making Kit for Kids Cover #TOP 3
WATINC Hand Puppet Making Kit for Kids
ftb score rating icon 9.5

Top 10 Hand Puppets for Kids

#TOP 1

hand2mind Feelings Family Hand Puppets

95417
Multi
Medium
hand2mind Feelings Family Hand Puppets Cover
hand2mind Feelings Family Hand Puppets, Sensory Play Therapy Toys, Emotions for Toddlers, Dramatic Play Toys, Social Skills for Kids, Social Emotional Learning Activities, Calm Down Corner Supplies

The hand2mind Feelings Family Hand Puppets set includes five sensory toys for sensory play, featuring soft textures and crinkle sounds. They are designed to teach social skills for kids by helping children identify their emotions through facial and body clues. These puppets can be used for both directed and independent play, and are ideal for creating a calm down corner.

What We Like
Excellent quality construction
Vibrant colors and unique designs
Perfect for teaching emotions
Suitable for toddlers and young children
Engaging sensory features
#TOP 2

EZCRA Unicorn Hand Puppet Making Kit

ezcra
Unicorn and Animals
Small
EZCRA Unicorn Hand Puppet Making Kit Cover
EZCRA Unicorn Hand Puppet Making Kit for Kids Age 5-8 - DIY Puppet Making Craft Kit - Creative Arts & Crafts Set, Educational Gift - Pretend Play Toys - 8 Projects, Extra Stickers for Decoration

The EZCRA Unicorn Puppet Kit is a fun and creative craft set designed for kids ages 5 to 8. It helps improve your child's motor skills with gentle hand movements needed to put the puppets together. You can feel safe knowing all materials are non-toxic and meet high safety standards, so your child can play worry-free. This kit offers 8 easy projects with pre-cut shapes and clear, step-by-step instructions, making it simple and mess-free for children to enjoy. Overall, it’s a great way to encourage creativity while keeping the process safe and convenient for both kids and parents.

What We Like
High quality materials
Easy and mess-free assembly
Engaging creative activity
Great for group play
No glue or scissors needed
#TOP 3

WATINC Hand Puppet Making Kit for Kids

JCP-W00516
Green,Pink
Large
WATINC Hand Puppet Making Kit for Kids Cover
WATINC 6Pcs Hand Puppet Making Kit, Art Craft Felt Sock Puppet Toys, Creative DIY Make Your Own Pompoms Wiggle Googly Eyes Storytelling Role Play Party Supplies Gift for Girls Boys (Animals)

The WATINC Hand Puppet Making Kit includes 6 colorful hand puppets, pompoms, googly eyes, felt decors, and a paper box. It helps to promote children's brain development, creativity, and concentration. Kids can make their unique puppet such as green dinosaur, owl with a tie, pink chicken, etc. The kit is perfect for indoor activities, parties, and as a gift for Christmas, birthdays or Halloween.

What We Like
Wide age range
Easy assembly
Bright colors and creative parts
Good value
Includes adhesive options
#TOP 4

Melissa & Doug Farm Friends Hand Puppets Set

9080
Farm
1 EA
Melissa & Doug Farm Friends Hand Puppets Set Cover
Melissa & Doug Farm Friends Hand Puppets (Set of 4) - Cow, Horse, Sheep, and Pig

The Melissa & Doug Farm Friends Hand Puppets Set includes four soft hand puppets: a cow, a horse, a sheep, and a pig. Made from soft-stuffed plush material that is washable for easy cleanup. Suitable for children and most adults, this puppet set encourages motor skills, hand-eye coordination, communication skills, self-confidence, and more. It makes an exceptional gift for kids aged 2 to 6, and provides screen-free fun. Melissa & Doug has been creating beautifully designed imagination- and creativity-sparking products for more than 30 years.

What We Like
Soft and cute design
Good build quality
Perfect for toddler hands
Educational animal identification
Bright and colorful appearance
#TOP 5

Melissa & Doug Barn Buddies Hand Puppets Set

9121
Multicolor
1 EA
Melissa & Doug Barn Buddies Hand Puppets Set Cover
Melissa & Doug Barn Buddies Hand Puppets, Set of 6 (Cow, Sheep, Horse, Duck, Chicken, Pig)

The Melissa & Doug Barn Buddies Hand Puppets set includes 6 soft hand puppets made from washable plush material, sized for children and adults. It helps kids learn motor skills, hand-eye coordination, communication skills, and self-confidence. It also comes with an insert that serves as a puppet theater. It makes an excellent gift for kids aged 2 to 6, providing screen-free fun and sparking imagination and creativity.

What We Like
Durable construction
Encourages imaginative play
Good for small hands
Educational and interactive
Bright, attractive colors
#TOP 6

Melissa & Doug Disney Hand Puppets Set

7551
Multi
Melissa & Doug Disney Hand Puppets Set Cover
Melissa & Doug Disney Mickey Mouse & Friends Soft & Cuddly Hand Puppets

The Melissa & Doug Disney Mickey Mouse & Friends Soft & Cuddly Hand Puppets Set is a pack of 4 soft and plush hand puppets, including Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy. These hand puppets are made from soft-stuffed plush materials that encourage cuddle time and are washable for easy cleanup. They are sized to fit both children and most adults, helping kids develop motor skills, hand-eye coordination, communication skills, and self-confidence. These puppets make an exceptional gift for kids aged 2 and up and are perfect for screen-free fun.

What We Like
Bright, colorful design
Great for small hands
Excellent quality and craftsmanship
Encourages imaginative play
Good value for price
#TOP 7

Happy Kids Hand Puppets - Set of 8

FNEIN-58/1007
Multi
14 inch
Happy Kids Hand Puppets - Set of 8 Cover
Fun Express Hand Puppets for Kids - 8 Multicultural Plush Puppets with Movable Mouths for Speech Therapy, Social Emotional Learning & Dramatic Play | 14 Inch Educational Toys for Classroom & Home Use

The Happy Kids Hand Puppets is a set of 8 plush, multi-ethnic puppets that come with a working mouth, embroidered features, and sewn-on clothing. These puppets are perfect for kids' classrooms, daycares, or church groups, and can provide hours of entertainment for children. They also make ideal gifts for children's birthday parties, allowing everyone to become a puppet master and put on a show. The puppets are 14" in size and can be spot cleaned only.

What We Like
Great price for quality
Cute and diverse characters
Encourages communication skills
Fun for kids
Suitable for beginners
#TOP 8

Melissa & Doug PAW Patrol Hand Puppets

33269
Multi
11.75 inches
Melissa & Doug PAW Patrol Hand Puppets Cover
Melissa & Doug PAW Patrol Hand Puppets (4 Puppets, 4 Cards)

The Melissa & Doug PAW Patrol Hand Puppets set includes 4 soft plush hand puppets (Rubble, Skye, Chase, Marshall) with Pup Pack pockets on their backs to hold mission/story-starter cards. These puppets are washable and sized to fit both children and adults, providing an opportunity for hands-on, screen-free play that helps to improve dexterity, vocabulary, and social, emotional, and developmental skills. This set is perfect for preschoolers aged 3 to 5 years old and makes a great gift.

What We Like
Soft and colorful fabric
Durable construction
Encourages imaginative play
Great for PAW Patrol fans
Fits both kids and adults
#TOP 9

Hand Puppets for Kids, Multicultural Puppets (8 Pack)

14 inches
Hand Puppets for Kids, Multicultural Puppets (8 Pack) Cover
4E's Novelty Multicultural Hand Puppets for Kids - 8 Pack with Movable Mouth, Bulk Soft Plush Puppets for Kids Ages 4-8, for School Home Theater Shows, Teachers Classroom Supplies

The Hand Puppets for Kids come in a pack of 8 with movable mouth and hands, each with a variety of skin colors, clothing, and hair styles. These hand puppets provide an imaginative play experience that boosts communication skills, self-confidence, and social-emotional connections. They are great for roleplaying, storytelling, and interactive classroom activities. The puppets are 14" tall and realistic looking, making them perfect for puppet shows at school or home. They also make a great birthday gift idea for kids.

What We Like
Colorful and well-made
Good for teaching
Fits both child and adult hands
Diverse characters
Positive feedback from children
#TOP 10

Dinosaur Hand Puppets for Kids

DD-100420
Dinosaur 1
Moderate
Dinosaur Hand Puppets for Kids Cover
Puppet Hand Puppets Puppets for Kids, Dinosaur Hand Puppe ts Dinosaur Toys Plush Puppet Stuffed Hand P uppet Dinosaur Toy,Puppet Story Toys Dinosaur Puppets Dinosaur to ys for Kids

The Dinosaur Hand Puppets for Kids are safe, comfortable, and come in different colors and types. With moderate size and suitable for everyone, the hand puppets are a tool to enhance parent-child interaction and kids' friendship. They're also useful in the performance of magic and stage drama. It's a preferred gift for kids and benefits their intelligence, language ability, and practice of abdominal language. The hand puppets are made of skin-friendly cloth and can be washed with water. They have smooth edges, tension belts, and hydraulic technology in their eyes to avoid damage.

What We Like
Safe and comfortable
Suitable for everyone
Enhance parent-child interaction and kids' friendship
Buying Guide Image

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What age do kids like hand puppets?

These are good toys for 3- to 6-year-olds. Play doesn't just raise the giggle stakes, it's actually essential to child development. In fact, play, from peek-a-boo to finger puppets contributes to a whole load of cognitive, physical, social, emotional and well-being benefits for our kids.

2. Why are hand puppets good for kids?

Puppets can help children to learn rhymes and songs as they imitate the puppet too. There are a number of motor skills that children can improve through playing with puppets. The fine movement required to wear a puppet helps with dexterity and using fingers to manipulate the puppet improves fine motor coordination.

Editor's Notes

During our hand puppet for kids research, we found 24 hand puppet for kids products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 93,159 customer reviews through our big data system to write the hand puppets for kids list. We found that most customers choose hand puppets for kids with an average price of $20.38.

The hand puppets for kids are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of hand puppets for kids, including hand2mind, EZCRA, WATINC, Melissa & Doug, Fun Express. The seller of top 1 product has received honest feedback from 384 consumers with an average rating of 4.7.

Written by
Jimmy Roof Avatar

Jimmy Roof is a toy designer who lives in Chicago with his family. He works in a big toy firm, so he is surrounded by toys every day. Throughout his career, he has developed expertise in children's toys, baby products and preschool education. Jimmy Roof often publishes articles related to toys on key websites.