A very common question we are asked is “What is the difference between a hand puppet and a glove puppet?”
Here are some of the main differences between hand and glove puppets. Please note that all our puppets are unique, and these features are a general guideline – there are always exceptions to every rule! Contact us to chat about the type of puppet you would like.
If you’re looking for a different type of puppet, just ask – we make all sorts!
Our Hand Puppets:
- Can be any size, but are usually 50-85cm tall
- Have an internal foam structure and a stuffed body
- Have a reinforced movable mouth
- Can be gently hand washed
- Can have a very wide variety of shapes
- Can have added extras such as moving eyebrows, arm rods, moving ears etc
- Also known as talking puppets, ventrioquist puppets, muppets, moving mouth puppets.
Our Glove Puppets:
- Are usually 25-35cm tall
- Are flatter and less structured
- Have a movable head and arms that you move with your thumb and fingers
- Can be machine washed on a gentle setting
- Have a basic glove shape
Examples
Here are some examples showing hand puppets and glove puppets of the same characters.
Find out more about our hand puppets and glove puppets here.
For more information about different types of puppets, here are some great books!
- Puppets and Puppet Theatre, by David Currell
- The complete book of puppetry by George Latshaw
- Puppetry and Puppets by Eileen Blumenthal