Homeschool Learning Network Shadow Puppets Materials:

• Manila folder • Scissors • X-acto knife (with a new sharp blade) • Indelible black marker • Colored markers • Stiff (14 gauge) wire or piano wire • Paper fasteners (cotter pin style) • Cooking oil • Paper towels • Masking tape

Directions:

• First you must come up with a design. You can either draw your own or trace one from a book or magazine. Animals are good for a first shadow puppet. Puppets will need to be fairly big (10” minimum height) and have joints that overlap enough* for the paper fasteners to go through and still be sturdy.

• *The joints of the puppet need to overlap at least ½” . • Design areas that will be cut away to make the puppet’s shadow more interesting.

o Please note that if you cut away too much, the puppet will lose its strength and can tear

apart. It's a good idea to cut out only a part of the sides of the face leaving the chin and temples connected, or for a man, cut out the beard and leave the sides of the face. Details can be added in with the black marker later.

• The hula maiden’s legs are static and the skirt moves. You may want to add joints to your

puppet's legs or waist, depending on the design. • Shadow puppets can also be non-moving. For instance, a palm tree to go with the hula dancer

would not need any joints, but could just tilt back and forth in the wind as a solid object. • Transfer the drawing for the puppet onto the manila folder. You can trace by placing the original

under the manila folder and holding the two paprs up against a bright window. Make sure your original has a dark line that will be easy to see for tracing. If not, transfer it onto a thinner piece of paper first.

Cutting:

• Cut out the outside of the puppet pieces using scissors. Leave fine details for later. • With your X-acto knife, carefully cut out the details. You will need to find a surface that won’t be

damaged by the X-acto knife or dull its sharpness―extra heavy card stock cardboard works well.

• Be careful not to cut yourself!

• When the parts are cut out, draw in the rest of the details with a fine tipped indelible black marker. Outline all of the pieces.

• Use the markers to add color.

© 2001 The Homeschool Learning Network, all rights reserved. The Homeschool Learning Network permits teachers and parents to reproduce this page for non-profit and educational purposes only.

http://www.homeschoollearning.com

Homeschool Learning Network Transparency:

• When the marker color is dry, place the pieces on a non absorptive surface and either spray or paint with vegetable oil. Pat dry with paper towels and let sit overnight.

Joints:

• To create the joints, make small slits for the paper fasteners to go through and rotate the joint over the fastener until it moves smoothly.

• Open the arms of the fastener and bend them in half, back over themselves, so that they don’t

stick out.

Wires: • Hold wire up to the puppet and a cut piece long enough to reach from the head to approximately

16” below the bottom of the puppet. • Put the puppet's hands (or paws) up over its head and measure and cut 2 pieces long enough to

reach from the puppet's hands to approximately 16” below the bottom of the puppet.

• Bend and twist the end of each wire into a tiny loop a little less than ¼” across. Attach the loop ends of the wires to the head and hands (paws) with paper fasteners. Bend them back over themselves so they don’t stick out. Masking tape can also be used.

© 2001 The Homeschool Learning Network, all rights reserved. The Homeschool Learning Network permits teachers and parents to reproduce this page for non-profit and educational purposes only.

http://www.homeschoollearning.com