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Description

Build a shadow puppet theatre, create your puppets, and get ready to tell your story.

Courtesy of The Scout Association
https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/shadowy-characters/

Resources

Scrap card
Scissors
Coloured pens or pencils
Sticky tape
Wooden skewers
Light coloured sheet or big piece of paper
Split pins (optional)
A torch or lamp (a torch on a phone would work)

Take it further
- You could develop this activity to meet other requirements of the Cubs Entertainer Activity Badge – for example by singing two songs in your show, or recording your show to perform later.
- You could also develop this activity for the Cubs Artist Activity Badge, for example by performing to others, and making a poster advertising the event.
- You could also theme your puppet show to meet another badge requirement, for example explaining what you must do if a stranger starts to talk to you (Beavers Safety Activity Badge or Cubs Personal Safety Activity Badge), telling others about a famous person who lived in or near your area (My World Challenge Award or Cubs Local Knowledge Activity Badge), or presenting information about space related subjects (Space Activity Badge or Astronomer Activity Badge).


Youth shaped guidance
Everyone should create their own story, with their own characters.

Instructions

This activity works best over two sessions. Use the first session to plan the story and make the puppets, and use the second to briefly rehearse, then perform.

Plan your story
1. Split into small groups.
2. Each group should decide on a theme for their story. The person leading the activity can give groups themes, or groups can choose for themselves. [If you’re stuck for ideas, why not try a camp, The Jungle Book, or a Scout adventure?]
3. Once they know their theme, each group should choose a character for each person to ‘play’ with the puppet they make. [Most groups will also need a narrator – they may want to share this role between them.]

Make your puppets
1. Everyone should draw the outline of their character, remembering that the audience will only be able to see its shadow – they won’t see any detail that’s drawn on.
2. Cut out the character, and use sticky tape to attach a skewer to the back to be a handle.
3. To make a moving part like an arm, cut it out separately and attach it to the main puppet with a split pin. Use the sticky tape to attach a second skewer handle to the moving part.

Make your theatre
1. Two people should hold up the sheet or piece of paper, roughly at table height.
2. Put the lamp or torch behind the sheet. It should face the audience, and shine so the light hits the back of the sheet.
3. Put puppets between the light and the sheet so they cast a shadow the audience can see.

Showtime
Once they’ve had a chance to practice, the groups should take it in turns to perform. The groups not performing should be good audience members – sitting quietly, paying attention, and clapping at the end.


Change the level of challenge
Alternatively, people could make the puppets by using their hands to cast shadows onto the sheet.
Groups could draw their set onto the paper, if you have enough for one sheet for each group.
The person leading the game could provide templates to help people draw common shapes like animals or people.

Tags

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Badge Links

• Entertainer - Show