How to Make Good Shadow Puppets

Shadow puppets are fairly easy to make, and they are a good form for entertainment for kids and adults. This article will teach you how to make shadow puppets out of paper to entertain you and an audience!

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 Steps

1. 1
   Get your materials.
   
   
   
   • Check the list of Things You'll Need on this page.
   • Get and buy the materials needed, and read on.
2. 2
   Make the screen.
   
   
   
   • Cut the bottom out of the cardboard box, leaving a 5cm frame.
   • Fasten the baking paper with tape on the frame.
3. 3
   Make the puppets.
   
   
   
   • Draw the puppet you want on a piece of paper, or cardboard.
     • An idea is to draw detail like eyes, smile or alike on the puppet, so that, when it's cut out, the details will appear in the shadow.
   • Cut out the puppet.
   • Put a piece of tape on one side of the stick or straw. Leave some free tape at the end of the end of the stick. Fasten the stick to your paper puppet, somewhere in the center of the backside of the puppet. Put some tape at the other side of the stick, so that it's solid. If this step is complicated, please watch the video further down on this page.
4. 4
   Show's on!
   
   
   
   • Get an audience, and some friends to act with you, if needed.
   • Make sure you have good access to the screen, you might want to cut the sides of the cardboard box down, leaving some centimeters, just so that it can still stand up alone.
   • Stand behind the sofa, or table, with the screen in front of you, and the audience in the front of the screen.
   • Have a strong light-source just behind you and the screen.
   • Have all the puppets ready, and then turn of the light.
   • Start the show and enjoy!
5. 5
   Finished.
   
   
   

Tips

• Make a holiday-themed show. Find a story on the Internet about something relevant to the holiday, and make the characters out of paper, write down what each character will say and do, and memorize it. Get a friend or family-member if necessary.
  • A good idea is to make a monster story for Halloween, Santa or Reindeer story for Christmas, and Bunny/Egg/Chicken story for Easter.
• Use a projector to create flickering light if this is what you are going for.

Warnings

• Be careful if using candles, lamps are recommended.
• Be careful when cutting out the cardboard-box and paper.

Things You'll Need

• Light-source (lamp, candle, etc)
• Screen (Baking paper)
• Cardboard box
• Wooden sticks or straws
• Paper (A strong type of paper is even better)
• Tape
• Sofa or table where you can hide behind