Shoebox Shadow-Box Theater

crayola supplies

Window Markers
Model Magic®
Twistables®
No-Run School Glue
Glitter Glue
Blunt-Tip Scissors
Construction Paper

household supplies

recycled boxes
flashlight
vinyl sheets

Why

Set the stage for magical, mysterious, heroic puppets.

Steps

1. With a puppet stage and a couple of finger puppets, you can tell super-hero or super-mysterious stories in exotic locations. Here’s one way to make a stage for your stars.
2. Design finger puppets. Shape Crayola Model Magic® modeling material into animal or human characters. Mix colors if you wish. Poke a finger into each character to turn it into a finger puppet. Add details with small Model Magic bits. When it’s fresh from the pack, it sticks to itself. Air-dry your puppets overnight.
3. Decorate your finger puppets with Crayola Glitter Glue. You could create an owl’s feathery chest and staring eyes or a polar bear’s fur and long claws. Air-dry your decorated puppets.
4. Prepare the stage. Cut a large rectangle out of one side and the bottom of a shoebox with Crayola Scissors. Draw a stage backdrop by coloring a thick layer with Crayola Twistables crayons. Add design elements, perhaps spider webs in tree branches or a tree silhouette.
5. Make a scrim. Cut a vinyl sheet to fit across the box opening to act as a scrim (a curtain that lighting makes transparent or opaque). With a shadow theater, the scrim is in front of the puppet area. Draw on the scrim with Crayola Window Markers. If you have a night scene maybe you want stars or a moon. If it’s winter, maybe you’ll want snowflakes. Attach scrim to the box front with Crayola School Glue. Air-dry the glue.
6. Decorate your theater. Color construction paper with Crayola Twistables crayons. Cut out sections to cover the box and scrim edge. Glue them on. When they’re dry, it’s time to raise the lights on your shadow box theater. (Ask a friend to hold a flashlight while your puppets perform.)

When & Where

"Our stage is easy to pack. The kids play with it in the car and while we wait in line."
- Carlee J., mother of 5- and 7-year-olds.

"This is like a diorama, only so much more active. We re-enact lots of stories."
- Geoff V., volunteer religious instructor.

Interesting Info

The roots of puppetry come from magician’s tricks. In Thailand, shadow puppeteers often function as a shaman (high priests) performing magic (shadow puppet play) for healing and removing evil.

Safety Guidelines

Glitter Glue— WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD—Small parts. Not for children under 3 years. Not for use on skin.

Crayola Modeling Materials including Crayola Model Magic®, and Model Magic Fusion™, Crayola Air-Dry Clay, and Crayola Dough—

Keep away from open flames. Do not use to make candleholders, hot plates, trivets, or other similar objects that will be used or placed near fire and other heat sources.
Do not put in an oven, microwave, or kiln.
Do not make into vessels/containers that will hold unpackaged food.
The use of modeling material to make items that look like food is discouraged for children younger than age 5 to avoid their confusion with real food.
Unless sealed with a water-resistant glaze, do not make projects exposed to or immersed in water, such as boats or outdoor bird feeders. They would disintegrate when exposed to moisture.
Crayola Dough—contains gluten (wheat flour) as an ingredient.
Crayola Air-Dry Clay, Crayola Model Magic and Model Magic Fusion are gluten-free. However, they are produced on the same machinery as Crayola Dough which does contain gluten. Although the machines are cleaned prior to the start of each production run, there is a slight possibility that trace amounts of gluten from Crayola Dough may be present in the other modeling compound products. For information regarding specific ingredients or allergic concerns, please call our Consumer Affairs department at 1-800-272-9652 weekdays between 9 AM and 4 PM Eastern Standard Time.

Scissors—ATTENTION: The cutting edges of scissors are sharp and care should be taken whenever cutting or handling. Blunt-tip scissors should be used only by children 4 years and older. Pointed-tip scissors should be used only by children 6 years and older.