So excited in fact that we've created a fun activity to go along with the book - creating shadow puppets!
Specifically to go along with illustrations from the book like this:
A downloadable pdf of the instructions and templates are available from our website here.
And here are the instructions too.
Materials you need:
- white paper
- pencil
- thick board paper, any color
- brass paper fasteners
- extra-long straws or rods (around 40 cm long)
- tape or glue gun
- screen and light
Step 1.
Use the provided templates of the animal you want to make a puppet of on plain white paper. You can also draw your own
template! If you want your puppet to move you probably want to have two parts to it: the head, and then the body. You don’t want more than three (You don’t want more joints than a single puppeteer can manipulate). Cut the template out.
Step 2.
Trace the template onto a thick board. Cut the shape out.
Step 3.
Poke holes in the template where the hole marks are and stick a wire or brass paper fastener through fi rst the head, then the
body.
Step 4.
Using a glue gun or tape, affi x a stick or an extra long straw or rod to the back of the puppet. Attach one rod to each part that
moves. For example, use one rod for the body and then one rod for the head.
Step 5.
Prepare a surface for refl ecting the shadows, such as a wall, screen or the side of a tent, free of pictures or wall hangings.
Step 6.
Choose a light source like a fl ashlight, lamp, or lantern. Even a projector makes an excellent screen.
Step 7.
Construct the performance area. Make sure you include an area for the puppeteers to maneuver the puppets between the light
source and the shadow surface.
Step 8.
Perform!
Next up will be a pom pom activity to go along with Foggy by Judith Steedman and Robin Mitchell-Cranfield.