Turn off the lights, grab a flashlight, and put on a wild animal show right on your wall! These shadow puppets are simple to make. Download the free printable template below, cut out your favorite animals, and let the show begin.
Materials
- Construction paper (black works best for bold shadows)
- Wooden craft sticks
- Scissors
- Tape or glue
- A hole punch
- A flashlight or lamp
- A plain, light-colored wall
- Free printable animal shadow puppet templates (PDF)
Animal Shadow Patterns
Don’t have craft sticks? Chopsticks, popsicle sticks, pencils, or straws work, too.
Steps
- Print the templates. Download and print the free animal shadow puppet patterns. (Or draw your own animal shapes on paper if you want to get creative!)
- Cut out the animals. Carefully cut along the outlines. If you’re using the templates, you’ll get several different animal shapes to choose from.
- Add details. Use a hole punch to make eyes and other small details. The punched holes will let light through, making your shadows look even more like real animals.
- Attach the sticks. Tape or glue a craft stick to the bottom of each animal cutout. This is your puppet handle.
- Set the stage. Find a plain wall and dim the lights. Set up your flashlight or lamp so it points at the wall.
- Put on a show! Hold your shadow puppets between the light and the wall. Move them closer to the light for bigger shadows, or farther away for smaller, sharper ones. Tilt and turn them to make your animals walk, fly, or swim across the wall.
