Some of the best crafts are those that are not only fun to make but also fun to play with once completed. This shadow puppet theater checks both of those boxes. Stretch your creativity as you decorate your theater and design your puppets—the options are limitless! Once your theater and puppets are complete, put on your own imaginative puppet shows for your family and friends to enjoy. 

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Gather Your Supplies:

• Sturdy, medium-sized box
• Waxed paper
• Scissors
• Glue gun or glue sticks
• Tape
• Flashlight
• Pencil
• Skewers or popsicle sticks

Optional Supplies:

• Colored paper
• Old fabric
• Yarn or ribbon
• Markers 
• Gems
• Box cutter 

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Step 1:

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Have an adult use the scissors or box cutter to cut off the back of a box, leaving a frame of cardboard around the edges. 

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Step 2:

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Use supplies you have around your house to decorate the box. I like making mine look like a real theater, so I made curtains, balconies and added gold paper and gems to make it appear “fancy.” 

Optional: use tape to hold back the top of the box so it stands up straight. 

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Step 3:

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Using glue or tape, adhere a piece of waxed paper to the frame where you cut out the back of the box. Use scissors to trim any excess paper. 

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Step 4:

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Use heavy paper or the cardboard you cut from the box to create puppets. Draw and cut out anything you like. Dragons, monsters, princesses, mermaids, elephants . . . anything! 

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Step 5:

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Tape a popsicle stick or skewer to the back of each puppet.

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Step 6:

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Find a dark room and set up the flashlight behind the stage. Then grab those puppets and put on a show!