Make Your Own Marionette Puppet

"The Sound of Music" is the show of the week in Mini-Stars, Little Stars, and Broadway Prep and we're putting on a puppet show! We know not everyone has puppets handy so here's how to make one using your child's stuffed animal!⠀

What You'll Need:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

1. A small to medium sized stuffed animal

2. Yarn/Sewing Thread (don't have yarn? Use strips of fabric from an old T-shirt or pillow case)

3. Popsicle sticks, chopsticks, (you can even use spoons - anything thing and sturdy)

STEP 1: Make Your Puppet Controller

- Wrap the yarn around the two sticks to secure them in a t-shape.

STEP 2: Determine if your stuffed animal sits horizontally or vertically.

STEP 3: Tie Yarn around the stuffed animal's arms and legs

Horizontal: Tie each back leg to one end of a long string (I found I got a better weight distribution by tying the strong to the tail instead of the back legs)

Vertical: tie each arm to one end of a long string

STEP 4: Attach the long strong to puppet controller

Horizontal: wrap the string around the back of the controller

Vertical: Wrap the string around the front of the controller ⠀⠀

STEP 5: Tie a string to each of the stuffed animal's remaining arms/legs ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀

STEP 6: Tie one string to each side of the controller adjusting the length so that each of the strings is taut.

- If the string slips on the controller, you can use tape to secure it in place.

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