🎭 Paper theater: how to create a mini-performance with your own hands

Creativity from paper is always magic! And if you add a bit of theatrical art to it, you will get an amazing paper theater - compact, cozy and absolutely unique. Such a mini play can be performed at home, at school or at a children's party, and making it is easier than it seems!

In this article, you will learn:
✔ What is paper theater and what types there are
✔ How to make a scene and characters from improvised materials
✔ Scenarios and ideas for the first performance
✔ The secrets of controlling puppets for live action

Ready to create your little masterpiece? Then let's get started!

🎪 What is paper theater?

Paper theater (or "theater on the table") is a miniature stage with volumetric or flat scenery and characters that are set in motion by hand. Its history dates back to the 19th century in Europe, when such sets were sold as entertainment for family evenings.

🔹 Types of paper theater:

1. Shadowy - silhouettes behind an illuminated screen.
2. Flat - cardboard figures on stands.
3. Volumetric - 3D-printed decorations.
4. Finger - little finger puppets.
5. Puppet - threaded paper dolls.

💡 Tip: Try the flat or finger version to start - they are the easiest!

✂️ Making the stage and scenery

🛠 What you'll need:

• Heavy cardboard (base)
• Colored paper and old magazines
• Scissors, glue, tape
• Popsicle sticks or skewers
• Florescents, paints, glitter (for decoration)

🎨 Step-by-step instructions:

1️⃣ Making the scene

Options:

• A fold-out book (fold the cardboard in triplicate)
• Transformer box (cut one edge off a shoe box)
• Suspended screen (stretch white cloth or paper over the frame)

✏ Design: Color the scene to look like a forest, castle or city - depends on the story!

2️⃣ Creating the scenery

• Cut out the cardboard trees, houses, clouds
• Glue them onto coasters (you can use bottle caps)
• Do opening doors or movable parts (like the sun on a string)

🌿 Example: For the fairy tale "Kolobok" will be needed: forest, stump, path.

🖍️ Making Characters

Doll options:

👑 Characters for the first fairy tale:

• "Teremok." - mouse, frog, bunny, fox, wolf, bear.
• "Turnip." - grandfather, grandmother, granddaughter, animals.
• "Little Red Riding Hood." - a girl, a wolf, a grandmother, a hunter.

🎨 Tip: Paint the characters brightly, but do not overload with details - it is important that they are recognizable even from afar!

📜 Write a script (or take a ready-made one)

Where to get ideas:

• Short folk tales ("Kurochka Ryaba", "Kolobok")
• Krylov's fables ("The Crow and the Fox", "The Dragonfly and the Ant")
• Fun stories from children's books

📝 An example of the Three Little Pigs mini-script:

Decorations: forest, three huts (made of straw, twigs and bricks).
Action 1: The piglets are building houses.
Action 2: The wolf comes in, blows on the straw and twig houses.
Action 3: Running into the brick house, the wolf leaves with nothing.

💬 Replicas can be simplified or made up with the kids!

🎤 Running the show: management secrets

How to bring characters to life:

• Move the dolls smoothlylike they're coming.
• Tilt your headto show emotion.
• Use different voices For the characters (you can even do a funny accent!).

Creating an atmosphere:

• Backlighting (lamp or flashlight for shadow theater).
• Background music (sounds of the forest, cheerful melodies).
• Audience applause - it's inspiring!

🌟 Ideas for inspiration

• Seasonal performances (New Year's tale, fall story).
• Learning through theater (e.g., about the rules of the road).
• A family production - divide the roles among the family!

🎉 Conclusion

Paper theater is:
✅ Fantasy development and fine motor skills
✅ Family art inexpensively
✅ Unique performancesthat can be changed indefinitely

Try creating your first mini-performance today! And if you come up with an original plot, be sure to share it in the comments. 😊