How to Make a Shadow Puppet Show
Shadow puppetry is among the world’s oldest theatrical forms, tracing back to ancient Indian and Chinese dynasties. The puppeteers used their art to dramatize tales from religion, myth and history in shows often presented for the upper class and royalty. Although professional shadow puppet companies do exist today, many people now think of the artform as being ideal for children. To share the shadow puppet experience with your child, you can construct a theater and puppets in your home.
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Things You'll Need
- Black construction paper or cardstock
- White carbon paper
- Tracing pencil
- Scissors
- Sharp needle
- Black thread
- Dowel rods
- Glue
- White cotton sheet or piece of muslin
- Masking tape
- Bright flashlight or lamp
Instructions
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1
Trace your desired puppet shape onto a piece of black construction paper or cardstock using white carbon paper; the white paper will leave a visible mark on the black background. Remember to allow for negative space — for instance, a shadow puppet face would have the eyes, nose and mouth cut out so that the light shines through those features.
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2
Cut out the shadow puppet with sharp scissors. If you plan for moveable body parts, cut out each part separately.
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3
Attach moveable parts at the joint using a sharp needle and black thread. For instance, attach an arm to a torso at what would be the shoulder joint. Push the needle through the center of the joint, pull the thread through and tie a loose knot on either end, so that the part can move.
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4
Glue the puppet to a dowel rod. If you have moveable parts, you’ll need multiple dowel rods — one to move each element of the puppet. Unless you have multiple puppeteers, keep in mind that you have only two hands with which to hold the rods and can’t make the puppet move in all directions at once.
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5
Drape a thin white cotton sheet or piece of muslin fabric between two chairs or from a table top to create the puppet theater. Secure the fabric to the table or chairs with masking tape.
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6
Position a bright lamp or flashlight behind the fabric theater so that it lights up a large portion of the “stage.”
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Move the puppets around between the light source and the fabric, so that the audience on the other side of the fabric sees the shadow characters interacting.
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Tips & Warnings
Retell classic stories your children already know, such as the tale of Little Red Riding Hood. Alternatively, help older children write their own script for your shadow puppet performance.
