With Krea
How to make shadow puppets and put on a show
To make shadow puppets, draw a character from the side on thick card, cut out the outline, tape a stick to the bottom, and hold it between a lamp and a white screen. In this course your kid makes hand shadows on the wall, cuts out two puppets, builds a sheet screen or a box theater, and puts on a three-scene show for the family. Krea hosts four short films for kids 6 to 13, with a little lost boat and a friendly whale as the example all the way through. Plan about 3 minutes of films and 45–60 minutes of making and rehearsing, with a grown-up for the lamp and the scissors. On Kubrio, all four films and the quiz are free, with no account, and your kid ends with a set of stick puppets, a screen, and a show the family has watched.
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▶ 1:45 tourWhat your kid makes
Your kid ends with two or more stick puppets cut from card, a sheet screen or a box theater, and a three-scene shadow show they tell out loud for the family. Along the way they learn how light and shadow work, including why a puppet grows when it moves toward the lamp.
- Ages
- 6 to 13
- Time
- 4 films, about 3 minutes, then 45–60 minutes of making and rehearsing
- You need
- A lamp or a flashlight, set up by a grown-up, a dark room and a plain wall, thick card, like an old cereal box, scissors and a grown-up to help, straws or pencils and tape for the sticks, a white sheet, string, and two chairs, or a box and white paper
- Host
- Krea
The 4 lessons
Lesson 1. Make a shadow
A shadow is the dark shape where something blocks the light. Near the lamp it's big and fuzzy, and near the wall it's small and sharp.
- With a grown-up, set up a lamp and turn off the other lights
- Make a flapping bird and a barking dog with your hands
- Move close to the lamp, then close to the wall
Where: At home
Lesson 2. Cut a shadow puppet
A shadow only shows the outside edge, so puppets are drawn from the side with a big, clear shape. A small eye hole lets the light shine through.
- Draw a side-view shape on thick card, about the size of your hand
- Cut along the outside line, with a grown-up helping
- Poke an eye hole and tape a stick to the bottom
Where: At home
Lesson 3. Build a screen
The screen is the stage: the lamp goes behind it, the puppeteer sits between, and the audience on the other side sees only shadows.
- Hang a white sheet over a string between two chairs, or tape paper over a box window
- With a grown-up, set the lamp a few steps back, with paper far from the bulb
- Hold one puppet close to the screen to test it
Where: At home
Lesson 4. Put on the show
A tiny show has three scenes: a start, a problem, and an ending. Moving a puppet toward the lamp makes it grow huge.
- Plan three scenes: a start, a problem, and an ending
- Tell the story out loud while you move the puppets
- Go slow, and put on the show for your family
Where: At home
Take the quiz
Krea asks 3 questions about the films. Get 2 right and you finish the course.
Transcript
Lesson 1: Make a shadow
Today you put on a shadow show. All you need is a light, a wall, and your hands!
First, safety. A grown-up sets up the lamp. Never cover a hot bulb with paper. A flashlight works great too.
Turn off the other lights. Hold your hand between the lamp and the wall. Your hand blocks the light. That dark shape is a shadow!
Hook your thumbs together and spread your fingers. Now flap them. It's a bird!
Now try one hand. Thumb up for an ear, little finger down for a mouth. Open and close it. Woof!
Here's a shadow secret. Move close to the lamp, and your shadow grows big and fuzzy. Move close to the wall, and it gets small and sharp.
Your turn. Make a bird and a dog on the wall. Make them big, then small.
Lesson 2: Cut a shadow puppet
Hands are fun, but a puppet can be anything. A boat, a whale, even the moon!
A shadow only shows the outside edge. So draw your puppet from the side, with a big, clear shape.
Draw it on thick card, like an old cereal box. Make it about as big as your hand.
Ask a grown-up to help with the scissors. Cut along the outside line.
Now poke a small hole for the eye. The light shines right through it!
Tape a stick to the bottom. A straw or a pencil works. Now you can hold it from below.
Your turn. Draw and cut out two puppets, and tape a stick on each one.
Lesson 3: Build a screen
Every show needs a stage. For shadows, the stage is a screen with a light behind it!
The easy way is a white sheet. Hang it over a string between two chairs.
Or make a tiny theater from a box. A grown-up cuts a big window in it. Tape white paper over the window.
The lamp goes behind the screen, a few steps back. A grown-up sets it up, and paper stays far from the bulb.
You sit between the lamp and the screen. Hold your puppets up, close to the paper.
Your audience sits on the other side. They only see the shadows. That's the trick!
Your turn. Make a sheet screen or a box theater. Test it with one puppet.
Lesson 4: Put on the show
Puppets, a light, and a screen. It's showtime!
Plan a tiny show in three scenes. A start, a problem, and an ending.
Scene one. A little boat is lost at sea. Rock it up and down, like waves.
Scene two. A giant whale comes up! Move it close to the lamp, and it grows huge.
Scene three. The whale is friendly! It carries the boat home, under the moon. The end!
Tell the story out loud while you move. Go slow, so everyone can see.
Your turn. Plan three scenes, and put on your show for your family. You made a shadow show!
Free guides to practise with
Questions parents ask
How do you make a shadow puppet theater at home?
Hang a white sheet over a string tied between two chairs, or cut a big window in a cardboard box and tape white paper over it. Put a lamp a few steps behind the screen. Your kid sits between the lamp and the screen and holds the puppets close to it, and the audience watches from the other side.
Is the lamp safe for kids to use?
A grown-up sets up the lamp, and paper and card stay far from the bulb, because bulbs get hot. Never cover a hot bulb with paper. A flashlight works too and stays cool, which makes it a good choice for younger kids.
What should my kid's puppets look like?
Big, clear shapes drawn from the side, because a shadow shows only the outside edge. A boat, a whale, an animal, or the moon all work. A grown-up helps with the scissors, and a small hole for the eye lets light through so the shadow looks alive.