How To Make Paper Bag Hand Puppets

Read all of the steps before starting.

Step 1: Choose a pattern and print it

Choose the puppets that you want to make. Make the puppets for the play included in this project or create a play of your own centered around the puppets you choose. For the play, Clever Gretel, the Gretel, Mayor and Banker puppets are needed, as are, the Roasting Chicken props. See the play for more details.

These patterns are for cutouts to decorate the paper bags for each character. There is also one pattern for a play prop—roasting chickens. Make the props following the Stick Puppet instructions. The cut outs are sized for use with lunch-size paper bags. Lunch-size bags are about 5¼ by 3¼ by 10½ inches in size. You can scale the patterns down to fit smaller bags. In the Adobe Reader Print window select Page Scaling: Tile all pages then enter a percentage in the Tile Scale: box.

Gretel puppet cutouts

B&W - Colored

Mayor puppet cutouts

B&W - Colored

Banker puppet cutouts

B&W - Colored

Cat puppet cutouts

B&W - Colored

Owl puppet cutouts

B&W - Colored

Roasting Chicken Props

B&W - Colored

Patterns are Adobe PDF files. The Adobe Reader is available for free.

All of Aunt Annie's project patterns are designed to be printed on standard letter size paper (8.5"x11" or A4). When printing from Adobe Reader you may need to select Auto-Rotate and Center or Choose paper source by PDF page size to ensure the best fit.

Step 2: Color Cutouts (optional)

If you printed a black&white pattern, color the puppet cutouts any colors you like. Each pattern includes two sets of eyes—complete eyes and separate parts eyes. Pick the type you prefer and color them.

Colored paper cutouts are another choice. To make them, cut out the patterns, trace around these on colored paper, and cut.

Instead of using cutouts, you may color directly on the paper bag. You can also use a mix of cutouts and coloring, like use cutout eyes and a drawn nose.

Step 3: Cut

Cut out the puppet cutouts.

• The Gretel puppet cutouts include eyes, lips, mouth, hair, hat, collar and apron. You may also want to cut a dress from a piece of red paper. It needs to be the width of the bag and about 6 inches long. Another option for the dress is to color a red rectangle on the bag.
• The Mayor puppet cutouts include eyes, mouth, hair, eye brows, eye lashes, moustache, nose and a knife prop. Cut the hair and eye lashes into a fringe as marked on one edge. Wrap around a pencil to curl.
• The Banker puppet cutouts include eyes, mouth, eye brows, eye lashes, beard, nose, hat, collar and bow tie. You may also want to cut a shirt from a piece of white or blue paper. It needs to be the width of the bag and about 3 inches long. Cutout the knife prop and glue it on cardstock.
  Tip: The beard has a hole for the mouth. Start cutting the hole by pinching a small fold in the center and cutting across it. This will make an opening for your scissors.
• The Cat puppet cutouts include ears, nose, eyes, collar and bell. Also notice the drawing guide for the cat's face.
• The Owl puppet cutouts include eyes, ear tufts, crest, beak and wings. Also notice the drawing guide for the owl's face.
• The Roasting Chicken Props need to be cut out and taped to bamboo skewers.

Step 4: Glue

Glue the cutouts to the bag as illustrated for each puppet. Pay careful attention to what is glued inside the crease and under the flap.

Gretel's mouth opens and closes as you move your hand. For the open mouth, glue the mouth cutout under the flap, aligning the bottom edge to the crease where the flap falls. For the closed mouth, glue the upper lip on the flap and the lower lip just below the mouth.

The Mayor's eyes open and close as you move your hand. Glue the eyes on the crease where the bottom of the flap falls. For the nose to have a 3D look, fold it in half and fold the glue tabs in. Apply glue on tabs.

The Banker's eyes open and close as you move your hand. Glue the eyes on the crease where the bottom of the flap falls. Make a shirt on the bag before gluing on the collar and bow tie. Either color a rectangle on the bag or glue on a white or colored paper rectangle.

The cat's eyes open and close as you move your hand. Glue the eyes above the crease and under the flap. Draw closed eyes on the flap near the bottom. Draw the mouth, whiskers and chin on the bag centered on the nose cutout.

The owl's eyes open and close as you move your hand. Glue the eyes above the crease and under the flap. Draw the closed eyes near the bottom of the flap. Draw the chin on the bag centered on the beak cutout.

Step 5: Finish

Add any additional decorations you might like to complete the puppet. Yarn or fake fur can be added for texture. Additional cutouts for clothing or tools could also be added.

To operate a puppet, slip your hand into the bag and put four fingers in the flap. Open and close your hand to move the flap.

Think of what your puppets will do. Where does your play take place? Write down what the puppets will say and figure out how they will move. Will more than two puppets be on stage at once? Do you need a friend to help? Rehearse your play a few times and then perform it for family and friends.