Puppetry
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The benefits of imagining, creating, and interacting with puppets are immeasurable. Whether the puppets are small or super-large, our artists work with students and teachers to create puppets for the classroom, school or home. As children explore themes addressed in literature, social studies, and school curriculum through puppet drama, they make connections between themselves and others through the creative experience.
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In puppet making activities, students make key decisions to build puppets as they select materials to reflect character attributes and personalities. The medium of puppetry is particularly valuable to English Language Learners and Special Education students because children bypass the self-editing process in verbal expression and speak freely and confidently while giving voice to their puppet. Through this unique art form, students create, personify and perform.
Puppet making residencies include story-building and play-making with puppets. Together with PiP artists, children build puppets, create storyboards and scripts and stage classroom performances. Many puppetry workshops start with a puppet show by one of our artists and students then re-present with their own puppets and performances for peers, parents, and teachers.
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For examples of puppets we make, click here.
ABOUT THIS RESIDENCY
A typical residency is 5-10 sessions and meets once a week in the classroom.
SAMPLE TIMELINE - Parade Puppets
For a full program lesson plans click here.
Week 1 - Intro to Giant Puppets
Week 2 - Forming the Faces/Hands
Week 3-6 - Papier-Mache Party!
Week 7 - Painting
Week 8 - Fabric Clothing Design
Week 9 - Final Assembly
Week 10 - Puppet Parade!
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Our Puppet Projects
Giant Puppets
Students work collaboratively to create larger-than-life puppets for spectacular parades or school decorations. Step by step, students design, papier-mache, paint, costume, construct and puppeteer their giant creations!
Sock Puppets
Sock puppets are a fun and easy way to introduce puppetry to students. This is our most simple puppet-making workshop but always a favorite. Sock puppets teach students the basics of puppetry, puppet-making and manipulation.
Ball Puppets
These tabletop puppets are perfect for classroom performances and Toy Theaters. Students adorn the puppets with eyes, hair, pipe cleaners and more. The mouth is movable for students to give their creations a voice of their own.
Shadow Puppets
Fun and spectacular! Children create shadow puppets to illustrate fairy tales, myths and their own original stories. Create an instant show in the classroom for the whole class and learn about the history of shadow puppetry from around the world.
Papier-Mache Masks
Exploring the art and history of masks from around the world, students create their own masks of animals, people, or characters out of papier-mache. Students can work in groups and enjoy the process of watching their creations take shape.
Paper Puppets
Inexpensive and fun! Transform colored papers into a whacky puppet using basic materials and creativity. This is a great way for parents and teachers to introduce children to puppetry and character development.
