April showers bring May flowers! And we’re thankful and all… but what are we to do when the rain turns us all into shut-ins? It’s hard to keep the kids occupied and active inside the house on a gloomy day and perhaps more troublesome to try venturing out in the weather for activities. That’s why it’s always good to have a Rainy Day Activity up your sleeve where all the ingredients for fun are lying around the house! Next time you’re shut in with the kiddos due to bad weahter, here is a fun idea- make a puppet show and puppet theater and put on a puppet show for other family members. Are you wondering, “How can we make a puppet show?” Here are 3 easy steps to make a puppet show for a fun-filled day indoors.
How To Make a Puppet Show
First you will want to gather a bunch of craft supplies that you will need to make the puppets and the puppet theater for the puppet show. Even finger puppets or sock puppets in a cardboard puppet theater can be so much fun!
You Will Need:
- Scissors
- Socks or Brown Paper Bags
- Craft supplies (your pick!)
- Blanket or tarp (optional)
- Glue
- Large Cardboard Box
- Chairs
- Red Bed Sheet (optional)
Step One
Make A The Puppets
Make the puppets for the puppet show. There are so many DIY puppet ideas. Use some old (hopefully clean!) long socks or grab a some lunch-sized brown paper bags. Stick your hand up the sock or bag and glue googley eyes, glitter, yarn, felt, and anything else you have lying around in your craft room for the eyes, nose, and mouth of your character. Be as creative as you feel! And don’t be afraid to get messy! Optional: Lie a tarp or blanket down to catch spare glitter and yarn and felt clippings. Shake the tarp/blanket out into the garbage when done and voila! No more mess when you make your own puppets.
Step 2
Make The Puppet Theater
Take large cardboard box and cut out a hole. You can make this DIY puppet theater as simple or as complicated as you want. Use your craft supplies to make it look really special! Optional: Use a red bed sheet or old curtains to imitate a real theatre look. Take a look at the pictures below for some inspiration.
Write A Puppet Show Script
This is an important part of the process. While ad lib can be fun it often devolves quickly! Writing a script will get your kids thinking and planning and they will have a great time creating their own story lines and coming up with fun things to say. Alternatively, they could also memorize scenes from plays to act out with their puppets.
Set up the puppet show! Now that you have your new puppets and your decorated set, it’s time to pull out the dining room table chairs and serve a couple of refreshments. Maybe you could make these cute popcorn-shaped cake pops from Made New 5:17 for your guests… or how about a couple of root beer floats?
Conclusion
Creating a puppet show is a fun and rewarding process that combines creativity, storytelling, and performance. By planning your story, designing unique puppets, and crafting a simple set, you can bring characters to life in ways that captivate audiences of all ages. Remember to practice your puppeteering techniques to give each character a distinct personality and voice. Whether it’s for entertainment, education, or bonding time with kids, a puppet show offers a wonderful way to engage, entertain, and inspire imagination. Now, gather your puppets, and let the show begin!
I hope you found these tips for how to make a puppet show inspirational and you have fun with it! Did you ever make a puppet show or puppet theater when you were little? Do you have any fond memories to share with us? Do you think you will make a puppet show with your kids? I’d love to see your results.
Tag us in your photos #FamilyFocusBlog or @FamilyFocusBlog. I can’t wait to see what y’all come up with. If you want, I will even add your photo here!
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