(This article discusses a type of puppet; if you are looking for info on staging/set design for puppetry, click here. If you’re looking to buy stages/sets for puppetry, including children’s ‘toy’ stages, click here)

AKA how to make tabletop puppet theatres

Normally I write my tutorials and include a video as a teaser, but this time the whole toy theatre tutorial is covered in the video. Annoyingly, Youtube only allows you to upload 10 minute videos, so it’s in three parts below. If you have any questions, problems or need something clarified let me know: I did the narration late at night, so I’m not quite sure if anything actually makes sense or not. (Materials and tools are listed in videos) Most of the materials can be found by recycling old boxes, magazines and wooden skewers. If you’d like to make another recycled puppet, check out the tutorial here on turning a stuffed toy into a glove puppet. Here’s some more free toy theatre patterns. You may also enjoy this table-top puppet tutorial, which uses recycled items in a kid-friendly fashion.

Want more? Help build a puppet!