Shadow Puppets Design Ideas

Whether you're using your hands or cute paper cutouts, shadow puppets make great fun for the whole family. Perfect for games around the campfire or during a sleepover, many of these shadow puppets can be enough for even the youngest of kids. However, with a little extra skill, adults can delight with some seriously convincing puppets. There are shadow puppets for people of virtually any age and ability level, so start learning today!
Lifestyles have changed so rapidly that many of our traditional crafts and hobbies have been consigned to the archives. Television and videos take up our free time, and the incredible Information Highways have turned us into obsessive compulsive freaks who can't keep our fingers off the mouse. We have become cross eyed, staring at computer screens, and hunched in our high backed chairs. The tragedy is that even our children have caught the bug, and prefer the computer to other carefree games and hobbies.

Stress is inevitably the internal reaction to these high tech stimuli, and the eternal urge to be one with the crowd, is driving many young people to depression, nervousness, peptic ulcers and chronic fatigue. In the light of these realities, it would be wise not to lose sight of our old traditional pastimes that could prove therapeutic, but are unfortunately dying for want of patronage.

A puppet is a small scale figure of a human or other living being often constructed with jointed limbs, appropriately painted and costumed, and moved usually on a small stage by a rod or by hand from below or by strings or wires from above. It is usually controlled by an external force and its movement is not inherent but is caused. Puppets are used to entertain in lieu of real people.

Kinds of Puppets - The first kind of puppet is the Marionette puppet which is usually suspended and controlled by a number of strings. Another kind is the hand puppet, which is controlled by one hand that occupies the interior of the puppet. A shadow puppet is a four-legged puppet, similar to a hand puppet but created by drawing features on the hand itself. Black light puppet is a kind of puppet that is operated on a stage lit only with black lighting with both hides the puppeteer and accentuates the colors of the puppet.

Make a two handed bird - Out of all the hand puppets you can make, this is probably the easiest, making it a great choice for young kids who want to participate in the fun but aren't coordinated enough to try some of the harder puppets. To make the bird, simply turn your hands so that your palms face you, cross your hands over each other, and lock your thumbs together.

This hand puppet makes a pretty convincing terrier. Start by raising your right arm and bending it at the elbow so that the hand points at the ceiling. Bend your little and ring fingers down so they point forward. Bring your middle finger over your index finger and arch it to make the dog's eye. Tuck your thumb up into the crook of your index finger. Bring the palm of your left hand against the side of your right forearm and extend your index and middle fingers while sticking your thumb behind the forearm to make the dog's tail. Keep your left ring and little fingers tucked out of the way.