Looking for help with an idea for Christmas for a nursing home

Hello everyone,

I have an idea in my head and not the slightest clue how I can make it happen. Maybe there is a knitter or crocheter among you who could help me bring this idea to life.

I need to explain a few things first. I was ill for a very long time and for the past month I have been working on a 1-euro basis as a caregiver in a nursing and retirement home, three days a week, to integrate myself back into the working world.
Most of our residents have dementia.
That means their cognitive ability keeps declining. As many of you know, therapies for people like this are very expensive, and buying assistive aids is not exactly cheap either. We are only a very small privately run home, and I can understand that our boss shies away from the costs of a training course and the corresponding aid. There are more important purchases.

Since I can crochet and knit pretty well, I had the idea of making the aid, a ventriloquist puppet, myself. So that you understand exactly what I mean, here is a video. I myself was treated with these puppets after my serious accident, and it helped me find my way back. 

Dementia Doll Therapy

Of course you could buy these puppets; the cheapest ones cost around €80. But as is always the case, the idea is there, but money doesn’t grow on trees.
Besides, you have to convince the supervisors and the home management that the therapy is beneficial and, above all, that the financial expense is worth it.

To prove that it is worth sending the staff to such a not exactly cheap training course, I had the idea of making such a puppet myself and first trying out whether this method would also be successful with our residents.

The hand “gloves” for the arms, the legs, and also the body are no problem; I’m sure I can manage those. But I really have no idea how to make the head so that it can move and “speak.”

I have knitted and crocheted Punch-and-Judy puppets before, but the technique I used for those puppets won’t work for the ventriloquist puppet, because the head is simply too heavy for that.



Here is my question:

Has any of you ever held a puppet like this in your hands, or do you have an idea how I could solve the problem? I wanted to make a large puppet, about 65 cm. That means the head will be quite heavy, so it is important that you can support it well.
I would truly be grateful for any help. I wanted to give the puppet to the caregiver team for Christmas. So I would also need to start crocheting or knitting soon. 

Thank you very much in advance for your help, and if this is the wrong place for this, please move it to wherever the question belongs. I’m brand new to the forum and don’t have the right overview yet.

Best regards, hoping for quick help, yours Missy

Hi Katja, take a look here at Crazypatterns under “Hand Puppets.” You’ll find some great patterns there that are sure to make everyone laugh https://www.crazypatterns.net/de/search?keyword=Handpuppen

Thank you so much, diba 26—this is exactly the kind of thing I was looking for. This would solve the problem. 

I think it’s great that you want to make something like this!
These puppets are called “Klappmaulpuppen.” Try Googling “how to make Klappmaulpuppen yourself.” You’re sure to find a few tips there!
Ruth

I don’t have a clue, but I admire your dedication. I wish you continued strength.

Thank you very much for your tip, I’ll do that