My daughters love to sing along the rhymes with numbers; specially the one with monkeys. So when I heard the rhyme “five little monkeys swinging from a tree, teasing mister crocodile, you can’t catch me!” I knew my next project immediately. Hence these puppets were created and the rhyme time is more fun now. These puppets are fun way to introduce the numbers and counting while playing with them.

INSTRUCTIONS

Crocodile Hand Puppet

With larger size hook and green, ch 30[40]; being careful not to twist, join with slip st to form a loop.
Rnd 1: Ch 1, sc in each ch around; join with slip st to first sc.
Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc in first sc (same st as joining), sc in blo of next sc, * sc in next sc, sc in blo of next sc; repeat from * around; join with slip st to first sc.
Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc in blo of first sc, sc in next sc, * sc in blo of next sc, sc in next sc; repeat from * around; join with slip st to first sc.
Rnds 4-18[20]: Repeat Rows 2 and 3, 7[8] times, then repeat Row 2 once more.

Upper Jaw

Begin working in rows.
Row 19[21]: Ch 1, sc in blo of first sc, sc in next sc, * sc in blo of next sc, sc in next sc; repeat from * 5[8] times, for child size only, sc in blo of next sc: 15[20] sc. Leave remaining sts unworked. Place marker in next unworked st.

Child Size Only
Row 20: Ch 1, turn; sc in first sc, * sc in flo of next sc, sc in next sc; repeat from * across.
Row 21: Ch 1, turn; sc in blo of first sc, * sc in next sc, sc in blo of next sc; repeat from * across.
Row 22: Repeat Row 20.
Row 23: Ch 1, turn; sc2tog, sc in blo of next sc, * sc in next sc, sc in blo of next sc; repeat from * across: 14 sc.
Row 24: Ch 1, turn; sc2tog, sc in next sc, * sc in flo of next sc, sc in next sc; repeat from * across: 13 sc.
Row 25: Ch 1, turn; sc2tog, sc in next sc, * sc in blo of next sc, sc in next sc; repeat from * across: 14 sc.
Row 26: Ch 1, turn; sc2tog, * sc in flo of next sc, sc in next sc; repeat from * across: 13 sc.
Rows 27-32: Repeat Rows 23-26 once, then repeat Rows 23 and 24 once more: 5 sc.
Fasten off.

Adult Size Only
Row 22: Ch 1, turn; sc in flo of first sc, sc in next sc, * sc in flo of next sc, sc in next sc; repeat from * across.
Row 23: Ch 1, turn; sc in blo of first sc, sc in next sc, * sc in blo of next sc, sc in next sc; repeat from * across.
Row 24: Repeat Row 22.
Row 25: Ch1, turn; sc2tog, * sc in blo of next sc, sc in next sc; repeat from * across: 19 sc.
Row 26: Ch 1, turn; sc2tog, sc in flo of next sc, * sc in next sc, sc in flo of next sc; repeat from * across: 18 sc.
Row 27: Ch 1, turn; sc2tog, * sc in next sc, sc in blo of next sc; repeat from * across: 17 sc.
Row 28: Ch 1, turn; sc2tog, sc in next sc, * sc in flo of next sc, sc in next sc; repeat from * across: 16 sc.
Rows 29-38: Repeat Rows 25-28, 2 times, then repeat Rows 29 and 30 once more: 6 sc.
Fasten off.

Lower Jaw

Child Size Only

Row 19: With RS facing, join green with sl st in marked st, ch 1, sc in same sc, * sc in back loop only in next sc, sc in next sc; repeat from * across: 15 sc.
Row 20: Ch 1, turn; sc in flo of first sc, * sc in next sc, sc in flo of next sc; repeat from * across.
Row 21: Ch 1, turn; sc in first sc, * sc in blo of next sc, sc in next sc; repeat from * across.
Row 22: Repeat Row 20.
Row 23: Ch 1, turn; sc2tog, sc in next sc, * sc in blo of next sc, sc in next sc; repeat from * across: 14 sc.
Row 24: Ch 1, turn; sc2tog, * sc in flo of next sc, sc in next sc; repeat from * across: 13 sc.
Row 25: Ch 1, turn; sc2tog, sc in blo of next sc, * sc in next sc, sc in blo of next sc; repeat from * across: 12 sc.
Row 26: Ch 1,turn; sc2tog, * sc in flo of next sc, sc in next sc; repeat from * across: 11 sc.
Rows 27-32: Repeat Rows 23-26 once, then repeat Rows 23 and 24 once more: 5 sc.
Fasten off.

Adult Size Only

Row 22: With RS facing, join green with sl st in marked st, ch 1, sc in flo of first sc, sc in next sc, * sc in flo of next sc, sc in next sc; repeat from * across: 20 sc.
Complete same as Upper Jaw, beginning with Row 23.

Mouth

With larger size hook and red ch 6[7].
Row 1: Ch 1, sc in second ch from hook and in each ch across: 5[6] sc.
Rows 2-11[15]: Ch 1, turn; 2 sc in first sc, sc in each sc across: 15[20] sc.
Rows 12-18 [16-22]: Ch 1, turn; sc in each sc across.
Rows 19-28 [23-36]: Ch 1, turn; sc2tog, sc in each sc across: 5[6] sc.
Fasten off.

Eyes (make 2)

With smaller size hook and black yarn make a magic loop.
Row 1: 5 Sc in loop; join with sl st to first sc.
Row 2: With white ch 1, 2 sc in each sc around; join with sl st to first sc: 10 sc.
Row 3: Ch 1, sc in each sc around; join with sl st to first sc.
Row 4: With green ch 1, sc in each sc around; join with sl st to first sc.
Row 5: Ch 1, sc2tog around; join with sl st to first sc.
Fasten off leaving a long tail of yarn. 

Monkey Finger Puppet

With brown and smaller size hook make a magic loop.
Rnd 1: 5 Sc in loop; join with sl st to first sc.
Rnd 2: Ch 1, 2 sc same sc as joining and in each sc around; join with sl st to first sc: 10 sc.
Rnds 3 and 4: Ch 1, sc in same sc as joining and in each sc around; join with sl st to first sc.
Rnd 5: Ch 1, sc2tog 5 times; join with sl st to first sc: 5 sc.
Rnd 6: Ch 1, 2 sc in same sc as joining and in each sc around; join with sl st to first sc: 10 sc.
Rnd 7: Ch 1, sc in same sc as joining, 2 sc in next sc, * sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc; repeat from * around; join with sl st to first sc: 15 sc.
Rnds 8-15: Ch 1, sc same sc as joining and in each sc around; join with sl st to first sc.
Fasten off leaving 1½ inch long tail.

FINISHING

Crocodile
Fold mouth in half and sew edges of mouth to the edges of upper and lower jaws.
Place all the yarn tails inside the eye and secure the beginning hole using the tapestry needle.
With green embroider chain stitches around Rnd 4 of eyes yarn to hide the color changes and add a finishing touch.
With green sew eyes securely the over the upper jaw.

Monkey
Using pink and tapestry needle, embroider chain stitches for the outline of the face of the monkey.
Make french knots for ears. 
Using chain stitch, make two hands on the front of the body and add palms using lazy daisy stitch.
With black make eyes, and with red make mouth.