Perform a ventriloquism act in front of an audience!
Learn simple ventriloquism techniques, create a puppet or soft toy, practice speaking without moving your lips, then perform a short act for family.
Step-by-step guide to perform a ventriloquism act in front of an audience
Step 1
Gather all Materials Needed.
Step 2
Sit at a table in front of the mirror.
Step 3
Choose whether to use a soft toy or a clean sock for your puppet.
Step 4
Draw the puppet's face using colouring materials.
Step 5
Attach eyes and a mouth using glue or needle and thread.
Step 6
Add yarn hair or a small fabric outfit to your puppet.
Step 7
Put your hand inside the puppet to feel how the mouth moves.
Step 8
Practice opening and closing the puppet's mouth while watching the mirror.
Step 9
Hum gently to warm up your throat.
Step 10
Say a simple word using sound from your throat while keeping your lips still.
Step 11
Practice substituting lip sounds by saying D for B T for P and N for M on a list of words.
Step 12
Write one short funny line for your puppet to say in your notebook.
Step 13
Rehearse a 1 to 2 minute act by alternating between your voice and the puppet's voice.
Step 14
Perform your ventriloquism act for your family using puppet movements and expressions.
Step 15
Share your finished creation 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 a soft toy or glue if I can't find them?
If you don't have a soft toy or clean sock, use a paper bag or small pillowcase as the puppet body and substitute glue with double-sided tape, fabric glue, or sewing with a needle and thread, and use buttons or felt for the eyes.
My puppet's mouth won't open and close smoothly when I put my hand inside—what should I try?
If the mouth doesn't move well while you 'Put your hand inside the puppet to feel how the mouth moves' and 'Practice opening and closing' in front of the mirror, sew a small seam to tighten the mouth opening or glue a cardboard jaw inside to act as a hinge so it closes reliably.
How can I change the activity for different ages?
For younger children, use a pre-made soft toy, let an adult attach yarn hair and glue on eyes and limit rehearsals to one short line, while older kids can draw detailed faces, hand-sew a fabric outfit, practice the D-for-B/T-for-P word substitutions, and rehearse a full 1–2 minute act.
What are simple ways to make the act more special or longer?
To enhance the activity, personalize the puppet by drawing a unique face and adding yarn hair and a fabric outfit, create a small cardboard backdrop, add sound effects during your 1–2 minute act, and then share the finished performance on DIY.org.
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Building Up to an Audience
Facts about ventriloquism and puppetry
🤐 A key ventriloquism trick is substituting lip-heavy sounds (like B, P, M) with other sounds and using breath and jaw tricks so your lips hardly move.
🎙️ Radio made ventriloquist Edgar Bergen and his dummy Charlie McCarthy superstars — proving the act works even when the puppet isn't visible.
🗣️ The word "ventriloquism" comes from the Latin ventriloquus, which means "speaking from the belly."
🎭 Ventriloquism traces back to ancient times — performers were once thought to speak for spirits or oracles.
🧸 You can use a handmade soft toy or puppet as your ventriloquist partner — many famous puppeteers, like Jim Henson, started with simple hand-made figures.
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