DIY (Do It Yourself) Puppet Projects
DIY (Do It Yourself) Puppet Projects are for the Family or the Classroom teacher looking for a fun puppet project. Puppets can be made from items found around your house or inexpensively at a local craft supplies store. Promote creativity, imagination and story-telling while bringing the family closer together.
New DIY Puppet Projects will be featured here for free for a limited time. After that they are available through our Online Shop or Teachers Pay Teachers for a small fee. Check it out!
As you craft your own DIY Puppet Project, please tag WP Puppet Theatre to show us your new puppet(s) on our Instagram or Facebook!
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FEATURE PUPPET PROJECT : ORIGAMI FOLDED BIRD
Origami is the art of folding a single piece of paper into something without using glue, tape or scissors. Our downloadable instructions explain how to make this fun little bird and add details.
Our anchor book for inspiration is Bird Count Read Aloud. This charming picture book introduces children to birdwatching with simple explanations of how to observe birds and clear descriptions of bird habitats. You can become a citizen scientist by learning how to record the birds in your community.
FREE download of pdf instructions for the month of March 2023
SNOW PUPPET
What will you make? Will you make a snow cow, snow cat, snow bird, snow dog, or snowman? The possibilities are endless.Gather your craft supplies and let’s get started!
Our suggested anchor book is Snowballs, by Lois Ehlert is a lovely picture book that talks about a family who builds a snowman for every member of their household, including the dog and cat!
Puppet Lesson Materials $2.00 CAN: Purchase from our Online Shop
NATURE PUPPETS
Using natural items like pinecones, wool, raffia, twigs, burlap, stones and a few craft store embellishments, fashion your own unique animal puppet.
This puppet project includes Blackfoot names for different animals and links to some videos created by students from F.P. Walshe School in Fort Mcleod, Alberta who worked with CAOS (Calgary Animated Object Society) and Artistic Director Xstine Cook to learn how to express and animate Blackfoot words using stop animation.
FREE Power point with instructions – From our Online Shop
ANGLER FISH
Angler Fish look like some sort of alien, or prehistoric creatures, big, gnarly, toothy, with that famous luminescent lure. National Geographic calls them “possibly the ugliest animal on the planet”.
Make your own Angler Fish puppet, using our patterns and instructions. Then learn about this intriguing but gruesome fish and stage scary ambushes on unsuspecting prey!
Purchase Angler Fish puppet kit for just $8.30 with supplies for 2 puppets.
Puppet Lesson Materials $2.00 CAN: Purchase from our Online Shop or Teachers Pay Teacher link
FROGSICLES!
We’ve learned that in the deep of winter frogs turn into frogsicles! There is some amazing animal adaption going on here! This is a great puppet to make when you are talking about winter, animals adaptation and life cycles. Team this Frogsicle Puppet Lesson with the Greedy Frog Puppet Show Video and Activity Guide.
Purchase Hopping Frog puppet kit for just $8.30 with supplies for 2 puppets.
Puppet Lesson Materials $2.00 CAN: Purchase from our Online Shop or Teachers Pay Teacher link
PIN BACK BUTTON PUPPETS
Pin-back buttons have a long history of being used to promote politics, art, music, sports, social causes – the list is endless! This project provides instruction on how to create your own little activist button puppets. To learn more about the history of pin-back buttons, visit the Busy Beaver Button Museum
Purchase a Button puppet kit for just $8.30 with supplies for 2 puppets.
Puppet Lesson Materials $2.00 CAN: Purchase from our Online Shop or Teachers Pay Teacher link
Olive or Rudolf Reindeer Puppet!
Just in time for some seasonal fun. Make your own Reindeer out of whatever utensils aren’t being used for dinner!
Check out the video reading of a cute little book:
Olive the Other Reindeer
Authors – Vivan Walsh & J. Otto Seibold Illustrator – J. Otto Seibold
Free Instructions: From our Online Shop or Teachers Pay Teacher link
Jumping People Puppet
This delightful workshop is based on The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. When the little book was published in 1962 he broke the colour barrier in
mainstream children’s publishing. He believed if children saw themselves represented in the books they read it would motivate them to develop a love of reading and literature.
The puppet project asks How do you dress for winter? and walks through making a colourful character that can be scaffolded for various ages. Engaging and honouring children’s imagination. After making your puppet animate it to express your reactions to winter and snow, because everyone has an opinion!
Watch the “Snowy Day”
Buy a Jumping People Puppets kit of 2 or for 30!
Puppet Lesson Materials $2.00 CAN: Purchase from our Online Shop or Teachers Pay Teacher link
WIGGLY SNAKE
Make a wiggly squirmy snake or a slithering dragon puppet, using the simple science principle of rotation and pivots. Then have fun sharing snake facts – like ‘Snakes don’t have eyelids!”
Puppet Lesson Materials $2.00 CAN: Purchase from our Online Shop or Teachers Pay Teacher link
NOISY PUPPETS
Is it a little quiet around the house? Find a container, fill it with anything and decorate! Now you have your own noise making puppet to used for any kind of celebration: Birthdays, Back to School, Tintamarre
Puppet Lesson Materials $2.00 CAN: Purchase from our Online Shop or Teachers Pay Teacher link
STUFFIE PUPPETS
Cats and mice are not normally friends; however, you can find stories where this pairing has led to positive friendships. In Aesops fable, the Lion and the Mouse, a ferocious lion and cowering mouse come to help each other and demonstrate how no kindness is too small.
Students learn basic sewing skills when making these puppets.
Puppet Lesson Materials $2.00 CAN: Purchase from our Online Shop or Teachers Pay Teacher link
C-D Elephant & Paper Cup Squirrel Puppets
These DIYs were created specifically for Earth Day. Earth Day is a great reminder of the things we should be striving to do every day, to take better care of our planet. Up-cycling creatively, is one way WP Puppet Theatre celebrates Mother Earth year-round. Read more about Earth Day and how WPTS reuses items in our blog.
PDF pattern of C-D Elephant & Paper Cup Squirrel
MY BRILLIANT PUPPET
What do you do with an idea that might be different, daring or just a little bit wild? Do you hide it, ignore it or pretend it is not yours? Or do you let it grow into something wonderful? This story and puppet making project, is for anyone, at any age, who’s ever had an idea that seemed a bit too crazy!
What Do You Do with An Idea? By Kobi Yamada & Mae Besom.
Puppet Lesson Materials $2.00 CAN: Purchase from our Online Shop or Teachers Pay Teacher link
ONE GLOVE PUPPET
How is it that one winter glove always goes missing? Make the most of the glove that remains! This DIY project is easy for young children to create and allows older children, teens and adults to take the project further in the design, adding details, and in performing. What will you do with your new home-made puppet? Lend a hand?
Puppet Lesson Materials $2.00 CAN: Purchase from our Online Shop or Teachers Pay Teacher link