We recently spent the day at the zoo, where they had a puppet theater set up for the kids to play with. Now, my boys have lots of puppets but for some reason, I never got around to getting them a theater. They had so much fun putting on shows for us at the zoo, that I decided it was time for us to get a theater of our own. Rather than spending a ton of money on a theater that would take up a huge amount of space, I decided to make my own DYI Doorway Puppet Theater. In this post, I’ll show you how you can make one too!
Supplies Needed
- 2 Vinyl Tablecloths
- Tension pole
- Wooden Dowel or Metal Rod
- Scissors
- Sewing machine
- Ribbon
DIY Doorway Puppet Theater Directions
Step 1
Measure the opening of your doorway and cut one of the vinyl tablecloths one inch smaller than the width of the doorway. Our doorway is 31″ wide so I made our tablecloth 30″ wide. The length of the tablecloth really is a matter of preference. You could make it the length of the entire doorway, or just high enough for your children to play behind. Whichever you decide, give yourself an extra 8″ for the hems at the top and bottom of the tablecloth.
Step 2
Next , make a 2″ fold at the top of your tablecloth and stitch across to make the first hem. This is where your tension pole will slide into once your puppet theater is complete.
Step 3
Repeat step 2 at the bottom of your tablecloth. Once this hem is complete, slide your wooden dowel or metal rod into it and stitch the ends closed. This rod will keep your puppet theater in place when in play.
Step 4
Slide your tension pole into the hem at the top of your puppet theater and hang it in your doorway. On the back of the tablecloth, draw a rectangle where you want your opening to be. Once you’ve marked your opening, take the tablecloth down and cut out your window.
Step 5
Using the second vinyl tablecloth, cut out a square slightly larger than the window you made in the first tablecloth. Stitch the sides and top of the square over your window. Be sure to leave the bottom of the square unattached. Once this square is on, cut up the middle to create the curtain for your puppet theater. Finally, stitch ribbons on either side of the window so you can tie up the curtains.
Step 6
Hang your DIY Doorway Puppet Theater, sit back, and enjoy a show put on by your little ones! Best of all, this puppet theater can easily be taken down, rolled up, and stored away when not in use!