This activity is suitable for children in grades Year 4 to Year 6 as it is aligned to the Australian Curriculum standards for Visual Arts.

Puppets are a piece of sculptural art. Students can use their re-machinations to explore the features and design of functional objects to recreate their favourite characters from fact or fiction.

During the construction process, children can consider their creations' unique features and functions as well as Visual Arts elements and concepts.

• Scissors

• Staplers

• Pencil, pen & ruler

• PVA, craft glue or water-based paste

• Hole puncher

• Sticky tape (but challenge yourself to find alternatives)

Optional tools

• Box cutter

• Cutting mat

• Hot glue gun

• Needle & thread

• Awl

If you don't everything that's listed here we encourage you substitute it with something of similar properties.

• Cardboard rolls

• Perforated plastic rectangles

• Chop sticks

• Wire and string

• Paper and card

• Rubber and cork

• Sticky-back foam or plastic

• Fabric off-cuts

• Magazine paper

• Use the sticky-back foam or plastic as an alternative to sticky tape

• A stapler is your best friend and a great no-glue alternative for fixing fabric to card or plastic

• We should you how to use wire to build the limbs. If you run out of wire, try using bread ties instead

• If you use PVA glue, allow enough time for it to dry before putting on a show with your puppet