Be a Puppeteer

Family Adventure

Puppetry is a very ancient form of theatre which dates back to the 5th century BC in Ancient Greece. There are many different varieties of puppets, and they are made from a wide range of materials, depending on their form and intended use. They range from very simple in construction and operation to very complex.

A puppet is animated by a person called a puppeteer. The puppeteer uses movements of their hands, arms, or control devices such as rods or strings to move the body, head, limbs, and in some cases the mouth and eyes of the puppet. The puppeteer often speaks in the voice of the character of the puppet, and then synchronizes the movements of the puppet's mouth with this spoken part.

For this Adventure you get to create your own puppet.  You can make it from any material you want-

• felt
• fabric
• a glove
• an old sock

It can be a

• full hand puppet,
• finger puppets, or
• puppets on strings.

Use your imagination ~ be creative ~ HAVE FUN!

Community Engagement Adventure

Ready to take your puppeteer experience to a new level?

For the Super Achiever Level you are going to DESIGN and CREATE the puppet, write a script that introduces him to the world, and then organize a Puppet Party for your neighborhood, family, friends, or all of the above!

Here are some important steps:

• Choose a day and time for your Puppet party and send out invitations. You are doing this step first so that your guests can participate in the puppet making as well. Invite them to design and create their own puppet to share with your party guests.
• Decide what your puppet will look like, what materials you will use, will it be a hand puppet or a finger puppet or another type, etc.
• Make the puppet! This can get fun— so engage your creativity, let your imagination go wild, and go for it!
• Write your script or story featuring your puppet.
• OPTIONAL: You may want to build a puppet theatre for your party. This can be as simple as a cardboard box cut into a theatre, a couple of curtains made from pillow cases, or an actual wooden puppet theatre. You can search online to get ideas.
• Party away!! We suggest a potluck for snacks and desserts, or dinner if desired. The main goal is to get together and share your creativity and hard work and use the opportunity to help your siblings and friends build confidence.

Teen Adventure

Who doesn’t LOVE a good puppet show!?!

Pull together a few friends to organize a neighborhood puppet party for your younger siblings, nieces and nephews, or little neighbors. Work together to choose a story (or write one), design and create the puppets, build a puppet theatre, and put on the puppet show for your little audience.

You could also take your show on the road and share it at assisted living centers, preschools, or other groups that would enjoy some fun, creative entertainment.

The most important part is to HAVE FUN while your CREATE and CAPTURE Memories!!

Photo Location

Take a selfie or groupie of you with the puppet you make and post it to your social media sites using the hashtags #Puppets and #MyDiscoveryDestination