A Storybook Theatre – The Gruffalo

One of our favourite books is The Gruffalo, we know it very well and have done a few different ways of bringing the book to life. We recently got a newish copy of The Gruffalo to replace our very battered book (it was very well loved when I got it years ago).  Our old copy was falling to bits and not fit to pass on but I didn’t want to throw it out.  Initially I planned to frame some of the artwork for a book nook, but I then thought I could make a lightweight frame and use the illustrations as background for a finger puppet show.  The idea evolved as Luath and I worked and it turned into a theatre.


Supplies:
Medium weight cardboard
Plastic pocket
Scissors
Sellotape and or glue
Background
Puppets
1. I found a piece of cardboard that was almost perfect, nearly A4 in the middle, with two wings and a little balance piece at the base.  I cut the cardboard in half, then cut an aperture  a little smaller than the plastic pocket. Cut it out as one piece and save for later.

2.  Attach the plastic pocket to cardboard, leaving a gap at the side so the background can slide in and out.  Attach the pocket to the front so it stays flush.

3.  Attach the cardboard piece you cut for the aperture to the back of the plastic pocket – this gives it a little more strength and also reduces the light that falls on the background.

4. We added a stage later that day by using another piece of cardboard attached to the base.  I cut an area in the centre for the puppets to pop through.

5.  To make the theatre more stable I used the other half of the cardboard box, attaching it at the wings with clothes pegs,

6. Insert whatever you wish as your background.  You could use a photograph, drawn picture by you or little one, photocopy, printed image,colouring book pages, wallpaper, fabric or like us images from a almost fit for the bin book.

 
7.  Make your puppets (or use ones you already have).  We made quick paper and straw puppets.
 
8. Put on your show

       

I have already thought of so many different ways we can use this,  I also plan to make a few different sized lightweight frames that we can use directly over pages in books.

Shared with Tuesday tots and Read Explore Learn