Flauschi and Puschel build a small shadow stage from a cardboard box and pale paper

The little Wusel story

Flauschi placed a box on the table. Flauschi“This will be our stage.” With an adult’s help, Puschel cut a squirrel from paper. Flauschi held it by the pale screen while a torch shone from behind. A large shadow hopped across the stage. Then they put the paper puppet down. Puschel stepped beside the box and his tail wandered into the light. An enormous bushy shadow appeared on the screen. Puschel“Who is that?” Flauschi pointed to his own tail. Puschel turned around, laughed, and let his tail dance across the stage once more for an encore.

What you need

a clean shoebox or small cardboard box
white baking parchment for the screen
black or dark paper for puppets
sticky tape and child-friendly glue
blunt paper or wooden sticks as puppet handles
a battery-powered LED torch

How it works

An adult cuts a large window in one side of the box and opens the back for the puppets.
Tape baking parchment tightly across the inside of the window to make the pale screen.
Draw simple animals or trees on dark paper. An adult helps cut out tricky shapes.
Attach each puppet to a blunt stick and let the glue dry.
Place the LED torch behind the box. Move puppets between torch and screen while telling your own woodland story.

Adult help: Adults cut the box and check the sticks. Use only an LED torch, never candles or hot lamps. Do not shine it into anyone’s eyes, and keep cables off the floor.

Flauschi shines the LED torch from the right; Puschel’s tail stands between light and screen and casts a large tail shadow

Another show: The Far-Too-Large Guest

About ages 7–10 with adult helpCrafting: approx. 60 min

Your shadow theatre gets another little story and paper puppets to cut out.

After their first show, Flauschi held a little paper puppet behind the screen. Puschel walked it close to the torch. Its shadow grew enormous. Puschel“Our guest won’t fit through the door!” he cried.

Flauschi slid it towards the screen. The shadow became smaller. Flauschi“Perhaps he can come in now?” Puschel made his paper guest knock twice. Puschel“Good evening. I’ve left my giant shadow outside.”

They kept the torch still and tried different puppet positions. Close to the screen, they could make out the ears clearly. Puschel invented a visitor whose tail kept appearing at the wrong moment. Flauschi lent him a paper tree to hide behind.

At the end, their paper puppets took a bow. Behind the screen, the Wusels were already whispering about the next story. This time a tiny guest would arrive with an especially large picnic basket.

Also have ready

optionally the paper-puppet template, dark card and broad blunt paper handles

Try a little more together

Stand the theatre securely. Its open back faces the puppeteers; the audience sits on the other side. Leave room behind for the torch and puppets.
The order is LED torch → paper puppet → screen → audience. Keep puppets behind the screen, not in front of it.
Keep the torch still. Move a puppet towards the screen and then towards the torch. With torch and screen fixed, its shadow becomes larger closer to the torch.
Invent three short scenes: someone arrives, something unexpected happens, and together you find an ending. Anyone who does not want to speak can move a puppet or watch.
Switch off and put away the LED torch afterwards. An adult checks that its battery compartment is securely closed.