How to Build Your Own Puppet Theater
You can make this simple puppet theater for about $50 or less. I think it should take you about 5 hours to build, paint, and finish to puppet theater, but that included some drying time as well!
To Build You Own Puppet Theater You Will Need:
2 Piece of MDF or pine plywood cut to 4 ft tall and 2 feet wide
1 Piece of miff or Pine plywood cut to 4 ft tall and 4 ft wide
Jug Saw
Power Drill
1/2 inch drill bit
2 – 4 piano hinges
1 inexpensive curtain rod
Curtain fabric
No Sew
Paint brushes
Pencils
Acrylic or house paints
Ribbon
Coat hooks (2)
The first step is to cut the stage out of the puppet theater. The 4X4′ piece of plywood is your main part of the puppet theater. You need to cut out a square in it that is 3 feet wide and 2 feet tall. Make it about 6 inches down for the top of the board and center it left to right. To make the square cut out use you power drill to drill a hole in the middle of the square. Insert the jigsaw and cut out the square.
Now, lay the 2 4X2′ pieces of plywood and the 1 4X4′ piece of plywood out side by side. This will be the front of the puppet theater. Have the kid’s plaint on a coat of primer and let that dry. Now, the kids can use their paints and paint brushes to decorate the outside of the puppet theater. Have them draw on any deigns that want with the pencil, and then they can paint in the appropriate colors.
Now, let that paint dry.
Flip the puppet theater boards over a have the kid prime the back of the boards. They can paint them as well if they want.
Now, leave the boards face down. Set the larger piece in the middle and have one smaller board on either side. Lay your piano hinges out on the boards and make marks with your pencil where you need to predrill the holes. Make sure on half of the piano hinge is laying one the left and the middle pieces of plywood. The same is true fro the right and the middle boards of the puppet theater.
Now, install the curtain rod right above the cut out square of the puppet theater.
Now, you and the kids can make the puppet theater curtains together. Cut you fabric out to two pieces that are 3 feet tall and four feet wide.
Use no sew to make ahem on three sides of the fabric pieces. Fold the top 4 inches over and iron them flat. Uses the no sew to sew down the very edge of the fabric to create a long pocket. Now, slip the curtains onto the curtain rod.
Now, on either Side of the cut out square, install a coat hook. Install I so that it is horizontal with the hook facing out. This will be the way the kids can hold the curtains open while they do a puppet show.
Now, stand the puppet theater up and let the kids put on a show for you!
Tip: Make sure the curtain rod is at least 6 inches wider than the square opening. It needs to stick out on either side so the curtain can truly cover the opening form all angles.
