DIY Puppet Theater For Kids

Make an amazing DIY puppet theater for your little boy or girl! I created a wild west theme, but you could change up the curtains and decorations to make any themed puppet theater you desire.  This small portable puppet theater will not take up a ton of room in your home, but will surely put smiles on your kids faces.

Supplies needed to make your own DIY puppet theater:

• Unfinished Wood People Cutouts
• 10 inch Rectangular Paper Mache Box
• 1/4 inch Wood Dowel Rods
• Rusted Tin Stars
• Rusted Metal Star Garland
• Wood Horse Cutout
• Alphabet Stickers
• Foamies Foam Sheets
• Jumbo Craft Sticks
• Yarn (I used Lion Brand Yarn in Barley and Black)
• Craft Paint (I used DecoArt Crafter’s Acrylic in White and Burnt Umber)
• Fine Tip Sharpie Markers
• Red Bandanna (2 needed)
• Movable Eyes
• Tacky Glue & Hot Glue

Using the 10 inch rectangular box, cut off one long side with a craft knife or scissors.  Then hot glue the box into the lid as shown below.

Hot glue four dowel rods into each corner of the box.

Cut one dowel rod in half and lay half on each end using hot glue to secure.  Lay one whole dowel rod across the front again securing with hot glue.  The rods should look like the image below.

Lay one bandanna out across half of the theater.  Gather to fit and hot glue into place.  I gathered in as many areas as there were stars on my rusted metal star garland.

I then used hot glue to secure one star onto each gathered area.

Gather the front of the bandannas onto each side of the puppet theater box and secure with hot glue.  I added a rusted star on each side as well.

Add the name of your puppet theater on the front with the thickers.  I also glued one of the largest rusted metal stars to the front.

Now for those puppets.  I mixed the white with a little burnt umber for the flesh color of my people puppets.  I then added more burnt umber for a light tan on the horses.  I painted both sides of my puppets just to make everything look nice.  Allow them to dry completely before continuing.

For the horses, glue on yarn for the tail and manes with hot glue.  You can make the mane long and then trim once it is attached.  Add a movable eye using either hot glue or tacky glue.  Then use a Sharpie to add a mouth, legs, and hooves.

Use the foam sheets to create clothes, shoes, and cowboy hats.  Attach to the people using the tacky glue, as hot glue will melt your foam.  You can use your wood to trace the shape onto the foam and then just cut out the clothes with scissors.  Attach movable eyes to your people as well.  The girls also get some yarn hair which can be added with hot glue.  With the Sharpies, draw on dividers for shoes, buttons, and any embellishments on the girls’ dresses.  These puppets are really easy to make and fun for the kids to let their imaginations run wild.

Let your kids choose what puppets to make.  Will you make lots of cowboys?  Or more cowgirls?  An entire herd of horses?

Once all of the pieces are dry, turn the kiddos loose and let them set the scene for a play.

Our wild west theater has had some cowboys on horses and even a cowboy brawl.  I love the imagination of a child, and a DIY puppet theater will get your kids playing.

What will your theater theme be?  Will you have cowboys?  Or maybe princesses?  Your kids will love the planning process for a DIY puppet theater as well!

Angie Holden

Angie blogs at The Country Chic Cottage where you can find creative crafts, vintage finds, home decor, and DIY all with a little farmhouse flair. Angie has been blogging for over 2 years and is married with three kids. Stop by her blog where you will find everything from small, quick crafts to major furniture and home makeovers.