Share Your Favorite Show on DIY!
Make a simple puppet stage and puppets to perform a short scene from your favorite show, then record or present it to others.
Step-by-step guide to Share Your Favorite Show on DIY
Step 1
Gather all the materials and bring them to a clear workspace.
Step 2
Choose your favorite show to base your puppet scene on.
Step 3
Pick one short scene from that show that you want to perform.
Step 4
Decide which characters you will make as puppets for the scene.
Step 5
Cut a large rectangle out of the front of the box to make the stage opening.
Step 6
Tape a sheet of craft paper to the back inside of the box to create a background.
Step 7
Tape a fabric scrap or folded paper to the top of the opening to make curtains.
Step 8
Draw each puppet character on paper or thin cardboard.
Step 9
Cut out each puppet shape carefully using scissors.
Step 10
Color and decorate each puppet with your coloring materials and stickers.
Step 11
Glue or tape a popsicle stick to the back of each puppet to make a handle.
Step 12
Cut small props from paper or cardboard such as signs trees or furniture for your stage.
Step 13
Rehearse the short scene with your puppets until you feel ready to perform.
Step 14
Record your performance with a phone or computer so you can share it later.
Step 15
Share your finished puppet stage and recorded 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!?
I can't find a big cardboard box—what can I use instead to make the stage opening?
If you don't have a large box for the step 'Cut a large rectangle out of the front of the box to make the stage opening,' you can fold and tape a large poster board or two cereal boxes together or use a shallow shoebox turned on its side as the stage.
My popsicle-stick puppets keep falling off or flopping—how can I fix that?
To strengthen your puppets after the instruction 'Glue or tape a popsicle stick to the back of each puppet to make a handle,' attach the stick to a larger strip of thin cardboard backing, use stronger glue (hot glue or tacky glue), and secure with clear tape or a small staple so the handle won't pull loose.
How can I adapt this activity for preschoolers, elementary kids, and older kids?
For preschoolers, pre-cut the box opening, fabric curtains and puppet shapes and let them color and stick stickers (steps: Cut a large rectangle..., Tape a fabric scrap..., Draw each puppet..., Color and decorate...); for elementary kids let them cut, decorate and rehearse with minimal help; and for older kids challenge them to design movable jointed puppets, complex backgrounds and longer recorded scenes.
What are simple ways to enhance or personalize the puppet show before recording it?
To enhance the scene beyond 'Tape a sheet of craft paper to the back inside of the box to create a background' and 'Cut small props from paper or cardboard,' add handheld LED tea lights for stage lighting, create layered backgrounds for depth, add sound effects or recorded music on a phone, and attach brass fasteners to make moving-limb puppets.
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Facts about puppet-making and kids' theater
🐸 Jim Henson introduced the Muppets in the 1950s and helped popularize puppets on TV and in films.
🎭 Puppetry is one of the world's oldest performing arts, with examples in ancient Egypt, Greece, and India dating back over 2,000 years.
🧵 Puppets come in many kinds—hand (glove), rod, marionette (string), and shadow—each with its own movement style.
🕯️ Wayang (Indonesian shadow puppetry) was inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2008.
📦 You can make a simple puppet stage from a cardboard box in about 30 minutes—perfect for immediate DIY performances!
How do I make a simple puppet stage and perform a short scene from my favorite show?
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