Shadow theater templates for fairy tales to print. Master Class
Good afternoon, guests and blog readers! Today I again want to touch on the topic of how and how to lure a child at home. This topic is very close to me, because I have two children at home. Which require attention and care.
In the previous article, I told you about didactic games with your favorite characters from Paw Patrol. Read who missed this issue here.
Today I want to offer another version of playing at home, this is a puppet theater. Of course, you can take your child to a real puppet theater, or you can create it at home.
Therefore, I will share with you some thoughts, developments to make such a miracle.
We need: your desire and a little free time 🙂
To be honest, we have different options for theaters at home, for example this wood.
My kids love him very much, because it is so funny and exciting when I show them a fairy tale, and they sit and listen. Now I have an eldest son, he can show and tell fairy tales himself. Just think, it's very cool, because the child is playing, learning to retell his favorite fairy tale, build a dialogue, etc.
I think that all preschool children, as well as the majority of children of primary school age, will not remain indifferent to such theaters. And if you also come up with fairy tales with a funny plot and an intriguing end, then in general you can get a real holiday for a child.
The simplest version of a do-it-yourself puppet theater is a paper one. It is easy to make it yourself. Well, or together with a child.
DIY paper finger puppet theater, patterns
The paper finger puppet theater is very popular with children, it attracts them, and also develops fine motor skills of the hands. Take a look.
The first option is a flat round finger theater. You need to make the head and the upper part of the doll, dress on the finger with a paper ring, or you can make cones.
Create these dolls with your child, start with character templates. Download them on my site by writing me a comment below, I will gladly send you templates, print and play fun.
After all, finger puppet theater is a whole magical art in which children learn about the world around them. Any child will like being in the role of an artist, and this helps to believe in yourself and achieve success in the future. It is also a good material for the development of such processes in children as imagination, thinking, as well as the development of fine motor skills and much more.
Finger theater can be made from any materials at hand, such as paper, fabric, cardboard, cork, thread, cups, etc.
DIY desktop paper theater, templates
I show my children, here is such a desktop paper theater, which I made very quickly.
We need:
- cups from "Rastishka", illustrations, ice cream sticks
Stages of work:
1. Take any illustrations and cut out along the contour of all the characters of the fairy tale.
3. Glue ice cream sticks on each fairytale hero.
4. Now take the cups and make a horizontal hole at the top of each cup with a clerical knife.
5. Well, now insert the stick with the hero into the glass. See how lovely it turned out. Very easy and simple, no worse than buying in a store.
Ice cream sticks can be replaced with plastic forks or spoons.
If you do not want to take illustrations from books, then you can find characters from any fairy tales on the Internet, save them, and then print them, and then cut them out and stick them on sticks. You can download from my site such ready-made templates for heroes based on such fairy tales: Kolobok, Teremok, Turnip, Zaichya's hut, just write a comment or review below, and I will send you an email.
Paper puppet theater "Hodilki"
Such a theater is very popular with young children; for such a theater, favorite characters and a couple of holes are needed.
Believe me, children will be happy to play such games.
And if you invite friends to visit, then the game will be even more fun.
You can also receive samples of your favorite heroes' walkers to your e-mail address.
Desktop paper theater on plastic cups, corks, cubes
This option is also very easy to make, you can even draw the characters themselves, or find and cut, and then glue them onto corks or cubes. Everything is ingeniously simple.
How do you like this idea? All children love a kinder surprise, and all of them have little containers that you can bring to such a theater.
DIY glove doll
In reality, a lot of puppet theaters can be built. Even with almost no cash costs. You just need to turn on your wit and do it! You can sew for example.
And you can learn to knit and knit such cute heroes:
Honestly, I used to knit well, now a little time is not enough for all this. But I never liked sewing. But, also as an option, you can sew a theater who loves this business.
Although here's the easiest master for you - a class on sewing a puppet theater from fabric, using gloves. Anyone can cope, even those who do not know the art of sewing.
We need:
- household gloves, knitted - 2 pcs., buttons for eyes - 2 pcs., threads, scissors, braid, stationery knife
Stages of work:
1. Take the first glove and steam the seam on the cuff, usually red or yellow. Tuck in the little finger, thumb and forefinger so that they do not come out, sew them up. You should have a head with ears and a neck. Sew the bases at the ears so that your fingers do not get there.
2. Now take the next glove and hide your ring finger in it, sew the hole. Bring your middle and index fingers together and now slide the hare's head over them.
3. Sew the head to the neck. To hide the seam around the neck, tie a bow or bow tie. Sew on the button eyes and embroider the muzzle, or you can draw with a marker. You can decorate a bunny from a cannon or knitted threads by gluing a cute little bunny on its head. 😯
Thus, other toys can be made, such as a dog, parsley, etc.
My son, in general, loves such a simple glove, puts it on and walks around all sorts of stories coming up with heroes 🙂
Here is such a short article for today. I think how many of you have small children, you will be happy to diversify their leisure time. Choose any kind of theater, do it with your child. And then enjoy the good mood and positivity. After all, all joint work strengthens your relationship! And the child will be only happy and glad of this, and will certainly tell you: "Mommy, how I love you!" The most magical words in this world.
Well, I say goodbye to you for today. Until next time.
P.S Do you know what is very important ?! It is in the home puppet theater that you can observe the child, his behavior. Because the kid can think of something, speak out, and we adults should still listen to what the child is talking about, what kind of conversations he is talking about.
Early development has recently become especially popular with modern parents. This is due to a significant increase in the level of training that a first grader should have. "Pea" is website, child development with which it will become an exciting experience for the whole family.
We tried to fill our portal with the most interesting materials that are designed to help parents in their daily work on the upbringing and education of preschoolers. Early Childhood Development Site"Pea" offers all the variety of games and interesting tasks for children, aimed at acquiring certain skills by the child and improving their own skills. All materials posted on the portal have one goal - to prepare the child for school as much as possible.
Presentations for children as one of the best ways to teach a child
Information technology has made great strides in recent years. Modern children easily master computer technology, and as a result of this, they have become especially common presentations for child development... This is a special type of material that helps babies to more easily master all the information.
When carried out preparation of children to school, presentation is often of key importance. Bright and colorful pictures allow the kid to visually see the world around him, to imagine plants and animals that he has never met before. Children's presentations for children presented in the public domain, which allows all parents to use them in independent studies with the child.
Electronic presentations for children download - it is so simple
Modern sites present a wide variety of materials that parents can use in their activities with their child. We tried to make our own free presentations for children slightly different from all the others.
First of all, our materials are quite informative. They will be interesting not only for preschoolers. Such presentations for elementary school children will work just as well. A logical question arises - is it possible that a first grader and a three-year-old child can assimilate one volume of information that will be interesting for the first and available for the second to understand.
Definitely not. Our materials work on a slightly different principle. Mainly presentations for children of the preparatory group... They cover all the points a child needs to know before school. However, it is still necessary to start teaching the baby earlier - for example, at 3-4 years old, the child is already ready to see presentations for kindergarten children.
At this age, the baby is tormented by a wide variety of questions that adults, at times, cannot answer. But successful child development possible only when he gets free access to all things interesting in his understanding. He may not understand some of the materials that are not yet so interesting to him due to his age, but if you repeat the lesson six months later, the little one will learn more points.
Preschool development of children using unique materials
The uniqueness of our materials lies in several important points. First, as mentioned above, is the availability and completeness of information, which makes development of preschool children successful. The second point is bright and colorful pictures. Thus, preschool child development site tries to make it interesting, that is, the baby will definitely be interested in high-quality photographs and pictures that are in each presentation.
And finally, one more point, in our opinion, one of the most important. Free presentation for children implies the presence of certain tasks at the end, aimed at consolidating materials and developing certain skills of the baby. These can be games for logic, thinking, speech development, the development of fine motor skills and others. Thus, the child easily assimilates all the information received and has a pleasant time with his parents. Perhaps these are the best parameters for successful learning.
Shadow theater is a magic that can take up residence in your home. You can create it for a child with your own hands.
What we need:
Thick cardboard
White paper
PVA glue
brushes for glue and paint
scissors
steel wire 2mm
wire cutters and round nose pliers
wooden slats approx 1.5 X 1 cm
Fibreboard approx. 14 X 30 X 40 cm
screws
wallpaper nails
dye
white fabric (cotton) without pattern
cocktail tube
insulating tape
overhead projector (lantern, table lamp)
templates (you can take ready-made ones, or you can draw yourself)
Draw or print patterns for dolls and decorations.
Dolls for the shadow theater can be small - about 5-10 cm, and during the performance, the height of the characters can be changed by bringing the figure closer to the screen or, conversely, moving it away.
Stick the template sheets onto the cardboard. Try to lubricate the template with glue without gaps, but not too abundantly - the part should sit tightly and not warp the cardboard base.
Press dry the dolls and cover them with a layer of PVA glue for durability. The brush should be semi-dry so that the figures do not warp.
Cardboard dolls are not easy to cut, especially where there are inner or outer corners. It is convenient to use a clerical knife instead of scissors.
If you have golden hands and a lot of patience, you can cut out the kennels of the face, eyes and small details inside the dolls with a stationery knife. If you glue a transparent tracing paper on the figures, then they will play with different shades of black and gray. You can also use transparent color film to add color.
To make movable dolls, you need to separately draw and cut out arms, legs and other details that can move. Dynamic parts rotate on screws or wires, each with a wire holder for control.
If the dolls still warp, put them under the press for a few days.
Holders for dolls and decorations can be made removable for convenience. Glue paper pockets on the back of the dolls. They should be slightly bent outward so that the loop of the holder fits easily.
The most suitable material is wire. Make rings on both sides of the piece of wire - one for the pocket on the doll's "back", the other so that the holder does not rotate in your hands. We got 13 cm holders for dolls. Holders for decorations turned out to be 5 cm long and with rings only on one side. The diameter of the rings is 1 cm.
If you don't have wire, glue on ice cream sticks is a quick option for doll holders. But he has a drawback - sticks coarse and spoil the silhouette of the dolls during the performance.
You can make typical dolls (grandfather, grandmother, granddaughter, animals) and use them in different performances. If you want to stage a new performance, you will only have to make the missing heroes. It is advisable to arrange the sets of heroes for different fairy tales in signed envelopes.
The screen for the performance can be made of wood or cardboard. You can even use a picture frame instead of a screen.
A cardboard screen is easier to make and decorate, but less durable.
It is not at all necessary to make the screen traditionally rectangular. If you are seriously interested in shadow theater, then you can make a whole set of screen-decorations in the form of a castle, forest, hut ...
Our screen is made of wooden slats. Its dimensions are as follows:
total height - 45 cm
the height of the "camouflage" fiberboard - 15 cm
screen height - 30 cm
frame width - 50 cm
the length of the stands (legs) for the frame is 25 cm.
The frame needs to be painted, and the lower part of the frame can be decorated with a plot picture.
A favorite theme for screen decoration is the starry sky. For our theater, we played the plot of the tale of the golden key. We made jewelry from silver-colored insulating tape.
For strength, parts can be coated with PVA glue or varnish.
The screen is covered with a cloth. To measure the fabric correctly, circle the frame directly on the fabric and cut out a rectangle, slightly stepping back from the edge (about 1 cm around the entire perimeter).
On the reverse side of the bottom rail of the screen, grooves are glued for holders of decorations. We used a cocktail tube cut into about 3 cm long pieces.
We stretch the fabric and attach it with wallpaper studs. The more evenly stretched the canvas, the clearer the contours of the figures will be.
Behind the screen, at a distance of about 25 cm, a light source is installed - a lantern, an overhead projector or a table lamp.
The direction of the light is from above and from behind, so the hands of the puppeteer will be invisible, and the shadows will be the most clear. The puppeteer's hands are between the screen and the light source, and the puppeteer himself is located behind the light.
Puppeteer Tips
For the first performances, choose simple stories from folk tales.
Practice well and learn the secrets of shadow theater before giving a performance.
If you want the doll or decoration to invisibly disappear or appear, turn it with its edge towards the screen and move it.
Arrange the puppets in order, and then during the performance the audience will not have to wait long for the "artist" to come out.
Play appropriate music during the performance.
Vocalize each doll with “her” voice.
By moving the light source, you will achieve different effects - depict wind, storm or snow.
Shadow theater can be played wherever there is bright light and a flat wall. Instead of dolls - finger figurines.
Children fall in love with shadow theater right away. First, they watch the performances with enthusiasm, and then they begin to invent the plot themselves. Let, regardless of whether the child has directing abilities or not, there will always be a standing ovation at home.
A theatrical performance of shadow and light is an unusual and interesting activity that will appeal to all children, without exception.
Fascinating preparation, creating a scene and characters with your own hands will give a good incentive to the development of imagination and become one of the brightest and kindest memories of their childhood!
How to make a Shadow Theater at home? Brashechka will tell you!
Preparing the stage for the Shadow Theater
We need a light source, an impromptu screen and a place where we can feel comfortable as actors :)
As a screen a piece of wide white wallpaper left over after repairs, a white sheet, a thin Whatman paper, or, in extreme cases, several sheets of paper fastened together in a joint are perfect.
A source of light an ordinary table lamp or lamp will serve - it will need to be installed behind and slightly to the side of the screen.
Important! The smaller the screen, the thinner and more transparent it should be, and the brighter the light source is needed!
Now let's decide on the size of the scene.
A large stage for several children or a compact version for one participant? Decide for yourself!
Option 1. Scene of the Bolshoi Theater
Have a bunk bed? Consider the stage of the Shadow Theater is already ready! Happy owners can safely take the entire first floor for the actors. You just need to fix the screen on the curtain rod and press it from below with a mattress.
Less "lucky" with the furniture? No problem! :)
Hang a sheet over the doorway, arrange a "house" under the desk, or just pull it between two chairs!
Option 2. Compact stage for one actor
A very convenient option to store and use many times.
Minus - it is suitable only for puppet shows and it will take a little longer to do it.
Take an unnecessary (or make yourself from scrap materials) large wooden frame, A4-A5 format will be just right. Stretch a thin cloth or transparent matte paper over it, secure with small nails and set on a stand. The stage is ready!
A wonderful folding stage can also be made from a large cardboard box, in the form of a shuttered window. The "glass" of the window will be the screen of our theater, and the "shutters" will provide stability to the improvised stage.
A great lighting option for a shadow puppet theater is a headlamp! :)
Take care to secure the screen canvas tightly.
In the future, this will greatly simplify the work of little actors!
The stage is almost ready!
Let's make a curtain for her, so that our Shadow Theater looks more solemn and very, very real! :)
Decorations and figures of characters for the Shadow Theater
We fold shadows with our hands
We've all played with hand shadows on a brightly lit wall more than once.
Let's remember a few basic shapes to start with:
Click on the picture to view or print diagrams of how to fold the shadow of a wolf, dog, goat, rooster, hare, swan, goose or pig with your hands.
Think of yourself how to portray someone else!
Figures and decorations for the Shadow Theater made of cardboard
For the puppet theater of shadows, we need pre-prepared figures and decorations. You can find and download ready-made stencils for the Shadow Theater, but it's much more interesting to come up with a story and draw its characters for the Shadow Theater yourself!
Ask the child who is the main character in his tale? Is he good or bad? What happened to him? And together you will come up with a great story!
Start with a small number of characters - two or three are enough for the first time. After practicing, you can easily move on to more complex productions :)
Scenery for the Shadow Theater it is better to make it from thick cardboard, which is used for packaging household appliances. We don't want our castle or a big tree to bend under its own weight ?!
Characters drawn and / or printed on plain paper, stick on a rigid base and cut out with scissors. Thin cardboard for applications is perfect as a base.
If you plan to use the made figures for the Theater of Shadows more than once, we recommend laminating them.
Mounts for decorations and characters
Mounts are needed to control the figures without casting unnecessary shadows with your own hands.
Option 1
Use small hooks made of folded paper clips as holders for large figures and decorations.
Option 2
Split a cocktail tube at one end and glue to the seamy side of the figurine.
Option 3
Attach thin wooden or plastic sticks to the figures with duct tape.
Clips made of paper clips (option 1) are convenient in that such decorations can be simply leaned against the screen. In this case, our little actors will not have to puzzle over where to get a few more hands in addition to the ones they already have :)
Are you planning a play in a few steps and need to change the scenery? Arrange a small but real intermission! :)
Add some color to the Shadow Theater
Color spots will add even more mystery to everything that happens! :)
Method 1.
Use a colored canvas for the screen. Shadows on a color screen are almost the same as on a white screen.
Method 2.
Try cutting shapes out of tinted sheets of paper, for example, for drawing with pastels. The color of the paper will show through the white screen.
Finishing touch
Now we are ready to play the show!
Just a little bit is left - to draw invitations and send them to friends and acquaintances. And after the performance, do not forget to have a tea party with a joint discussion of the performance you watched!
Shadow theater is widely practiced in the system of pedagogical education. Moreover, this type of art, as a rule, does not require complex equipment and serious acting skills, which provides additional opportunities for using it both in educational institutions and at home.
History of origin
According to separate historical sources, shadow theater as an art originated in ancient China, during the Han dynasty. According to another version, the shadow theater was borrowed from the culture of Ancient Egypt. The most common subject for performances in China was the historical epic. In other states that adopted this type of art, the plot also had its own specifics. So, for example, in India the shadows were more often focused on religious themes, and in Turkey - on comedic ones.
In our country, shadow theater appeared at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries, during the reign of Anna Ioannovna. For example, its elements were used within the framework of school theaters in theological seminaries and academies.
The role of shadow theater in the development of children
Children's shadow theater is not just a kind of game for a child - it is an additional way of his development. Shadow games stimulate the baby's imagination, develop his imagination. Getting certain characters here is possible, for example, by folding your fingers in a certain way. Accordingly, this provides additional opportunities for the development of manual dexterity of the child, the coordination of his movements.
Moreover, if we are talking about an early age, then the performance can be arranged by the parents of the baby. Older children are already able to take part in the play themselves. It is also possible to use shadow theater for group lessons. In kindergarten, these activities are often used as exercises to develop the child's motor skills and speech. And the textual accompaniment, in turn, stimulates the speech culture of the kids.
Finger Shadow Theater
This type is the most common in working with babies. It allows you to create a shadow theater with your own hands. To create it, you need a flat and a lamp. The lamp should be against the center of the screen, at a distance of several meters from the wall so that the light falls directly on it. It is better if the following proportion is observed: the width of the screen is equal to the distance from the lamp to the screen.
The material for the screen can be any translucent fabric or tracing paper stretched over a plywood frame.
A sheet attached to the doorway will also work. Or you can install a simple screen, behind which the light source will be located. In this case, it is necessary to choose the right angle so that the shadow of the presenter does not overlap the shadows of the hands. In addition, to enhance the effect, the room should be as dark as possible. By folding your fingers into a certain combination, you get the image of a particular character. Then it all depends on your imagination. To make your performance more enjoyable, you can organize the reading by roles, include an appropriate background music, etc.
Images used
You can choose a wide variety of silhouettes for the shadow theater, depending on the plot of your performance. It is better to start with simpler images, gradually complicating the combinations. The most common are animal silhouettes; also with the help of hands it is possible to depict human figures, plants and various objects. In this case, you can give the child the opportunity to name the characters or objects that he sees. It is also desirable to depict the interaction between the characters: how they react to each other, talk, move in space, etc. In addition, each created image can be accompanied by a small poem, for example: “A butterfly lives one day. The left wing of the butterfly is dawn. Right - evening ”(S. Kozlov). Your performance will be more exciting if you tell a fairy tale or a fable (in which there are a small number of heroes) with the help of characters. For example, the fables of I.A.Krylov are well suited.
Use of additional funds
If the performance is aimed at children of the older group of kindergarten, it is possible that finger shadow theater will captivate them less. Still, this activity is more suitable for toddlers. How to make shadow theater brighter and more memorable? In this case, it is possible to use additional funds. So, for example, if we are talking about a performance in an educational institution, and not about a family home evening, it is better to use a real, professional screen.
Characters for the performance can be both ordinary dolls and silhouettes specially made from various materials. At the same time, it is better to choose black material for cutting characters. better to attach to sticks. You can complicate the action by using more mobile forms. So, for example, it can be moving with the help of special ropes.
Instructions for making dolls
A sketch is made on thin cardboard, according to which the head of the future character is cut out. Using glue or a paper clip (you can also use a needle and thread), a paper tube for the index finger is attached to the head - together they form the body of the doll. In turn, the middle and the puppeteer become the legs of the character. At the same time, it is better to make the figures in such a way that their heads and limbs are moving - this will make the shadow theater for children more dynamic and emotional.
Then, in the details, it is necessary to make punctures and thread sections of wire into them, twisting on both sides in a spiral. In order to make eyes for the doll, first punctures are also made, the holes of which are subsequently expanded with some pointed object (awl, knife, etc.). A circle cut from a colored transparent film is glued to the hole. Then the parts of the doll are covered with black paint.
Example of character crafting: baby elephant
You can also use buttons to make the figures move. Here is an example of making a figurine of a baby elephant for a play:
Legs and body are cut out of cardboard according to a template;
Small holes are made at the attachment point of the first and second pair of legs;
Fastening of pairs of legs is carried out by means of an elastic band and buttons (the elastic is threaded through the holes of the buttons, and its ends are passed through the legs and body of the elephant calf);
On the reverse side, the structure is also fixed with buttons or with a piece of a match.
Thus, the baby elephant acquires a movable connection, which makes it possible to depict the movement of its legs during the performance.
Stage and scenery
If you use puppets in the performance, then you should decide on the stage on which the performance will take place. For example, it can be made from a large rectangular box: a large hole is cut out in it, which is then sealed with a white sheet of paper.
Also, the shadow theater looks more effective if you use the scenery. They can be cut from paper and attached to the edge of the screen.
At the same time, it is important that, on the one hand, the scenery is clearly visible, and on the other hand, leave enough space for the characters of the performance in the center of the screen.
Thus, shadow theater in kindergarten is not only an element but also an element of their own creativity, as well as a component of the child's upbringing and development system. In addition, classes of this kind stimulate the emotional sphere of children - emotions accompany both the process of preparing the performance, making characters and decorations, and the plot of the performance itself. Of course, the curtain adds an additional effect to the performance.