Have fun making shadow puppets for a shadow theatre
Create your own shadow puppet and try it out on a shadow screen...
- Have a look at our example puppets, and see how they work on the shadow screen. Have a go at operating them and see how you can make them move.
- Decide on a design for your puppet.
- If you are making your own puppet, think about where you would like the moving parts, for example, a waving arm, or a kicking leg. Keep it simple, as it is hard to move lots of different parts.
- Draw the puppet onto the card. Draw each part separately, as you will join them together once they are cut out. Ask for help if you're not sure how to do it.
- Carefully cut out the separate pieces of the puppet.
- If you want to make your puppets colourful, you can cut out sections in the middle and tape coloured cellophane over these areas. When you use them on the shadow screen, the light will shine through the cellophane and show up as colours.
- To make the joints of the puppet, cut out holes with a hole punch, then attach two pieces together using a paper fastener. Make sure the joint is not too tight.
- When the whole puppet is joined up, attach sticks to the back of the puppet using masking tape. You will use these sticks to make the puppet move, so attach one to the main body, and one to any moving parts.
- If you want to, you can decorate your puppet, but remember you will only see the shadow through the screen. You could try taping bits to the edges, e.g. a feather on a puppet's head.
