Make Objects Talk!
Build simple talking puppets by creating movable mouths and using recorded or live voices to animate toys and objects, exploring storytelling and basic mechanics.
Step-by-step guide to Make Objects Talk!
Step 1
Pick the base for your puppet by choosing a sock or a paper bag or a small toy.
Step 2
Draw two mouth shapes on the cardboard one for the top jaw and one for the bottom jaw.
Step 3
Cut out the two mouth shapes from the cardboard using scissors.
Step 4
Decorate the cardboard jaws with colouring materials and let them dry if you used glue or markers.
Step 5
Cut a thin strip of paper or tape to make a flexible hinge for the back of the jaws.
Step 6
Tape or glue the hinge strip to the back edges of both jaw pieces so the mouth can open and close.
Step 7
Put the jaw assembly inside your sock or paper bag and tape or glue the top jaw to the inside top and the bottom jaw to the inside bottom so the hinge sits at the back.
Step 8
Attach a rubber band between the back edges of the top and bottom jaws to make the mouth snap closed when you release it.
Step 9
Add eyes and other face details to the outside of your puppet using scrap fabric felt or colouring materials.
Step 10
Practice moving the mouth by pushing with your hand or using a craft stick and make sounds to test how it opens and closes.
Step 11
Give your puppet a voice by speaking or recording a short story and animate the puppet as it talks.
Step 12
Share a photo or video of your finished talking puppet and story performance on DIY.org
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can I use instead of cardboard or a rubber band if I don't have them?
Use a cereal box or folded cardstock for the cardboard jaws and substitute a hair elastic, twist tie wrapped in tape, or a short length of cut-up elastic from old clothing for the rubber band that you attach between the back edges to make the mouth snap closed.
My hinge is too stiff or the mouth won't open smoothly—what should I change?
Make the hinge thinner and more flexible by using a single thin strip of paper or masking tape as the hinge and make sure you tape or glue it only to the very back edges of both jaw pieces so the mouth can open and close freely.
How can I adapt this puppet activity for younger children or older kids?
For younger children use a pre-made sock or paper bag puppet and safety scissors and let them decorate with stickers while older kids can cut precise cardboard jaws, add a craft stick control, record voiceovers, and sew on felt details for more realistic movement and storytelling.
How can we extend or personalize the puppet beyond the basic instructions?
Personalize and extend the project by recording a short story to play while animating the mouth, adding movable eyelids or a craft-stick lever for hand control, sewing on fabric clothes, or using multiple rubber bands to create different mouth expressions for more complex performances.
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Facts about puppet-making and simple mechanics
🤖 Animatronics use motors, gears and sometimes microcontrollers to make mouths, eyes and limbs move like living characters.
🎙️ Many animated films record actors' voices before the final animation so animators can match mouth movements to real performances.
🎭 Puppetry is one of the oldest storytelling arts — some puppet traditions are over 2,000 years old.
🗣️ Ventriloquists create the illusion of a talking dummy by shaping sounds in their throat so their lips barely move.
🧩 You can make a working puppet mouth with simple materials like cardboard, a hinged straw, and glue — no fancy tools required.
How do I make objects talk and build simple talking puppets?
What materials do I need to make talking puppets and movable mouths?
What ages is this Make Objects Talk activity suitable for?
What are the benefits of building talking puppets for kids?
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