DLTK's Nursery Rhyme Activities
Paper Bag Lion Puppet

This is a fun and easy cut and paste paper craft that uses a paper bag as a base to make a puppet.  You can omit template 3 (the mane) for a female lion.

Materials:

• printer
• paper
• paper bag
• glue or tape
• scissors
• yellow paint or yellow construction paper
• OPTIONAL:  orange or brown felt
• OPTIONAL:  yellow, brown or orange wool

Instructions:

• Print out the template of choice.
• Color the pieces as appropriate and cut them out.  (cutting may require adult assistance and can be pre-done).
• OPTIONAL:  instead of printing template 3, cut the 1/2 circles out of orange or brown felt.
• See the picture above for how the puppet should look when complete.
  

GET FAMILIAR WITH YOUR PAPER BAG:

• Look at your paper bag.  It should be closed and flat like a piece of paper.  Just like when they are brand new.
• On one side, it's all smooth.  This will be the BACK of your puppet
  • It's important that all the kids get the back and front straight at the beginning!
• On the other side there's a flippy tab (which is typically the bottom of the bag when you're carrying your lunch around...)
  • This flippy tab will be the HEAD
     
• Lift the flippy tab up a bit.  Underneath of the tab will be the mouth,
  • When the child put's her hand in the bag, she'll be able to make the puppet talk.
• Look at the rest of the front of the bag.  (The 3/4 or so of the bag below the part with the flippy tab)  This will be the BODY.
   
• Look at the sides of the bag.  There should be a FLAP of paper. 
  • We'll be slipping the arms into this flap, though it isn't a big deal if they glue them right to the front of the body.

• OK, now that we're comfy with our bags, let's craft!

PUTTING IT TOGETHER:

• If desired, paint the paper bag yellow and let dry completely.  Instead of painting, you could trace the bag onto a piece of yellow construction paper and glue it onto the back.  Trace again, this time making it short enough to fit under the flippy tab and glue onto the front.
• Print the template of choice and color in the pieces, as necessary.
• Cut out the template pieces  

• Glue the first half circle (TEMPLATE 3) underneath the flippy tab
• Glue the other half circle (TEMPLATE 3) onto the back of the paper bag so the edge lines up with the first half circle (to form a complete circle for the lion's mane).
• Skip the above two steps (the ones using template 3) to make a female lion.
• Lift the flap/snout and glue the tongue on underneath it.
• Glue the nose, eyes and ears onto the front of the flippy tab to make the face.
• Glue the arms (TEMPLATE 2) onto the bag.
• OPTIONAL:  wrap some wool around your fingers to make a tassel.  Attach the tassel onto a 'tail length' piece of wool and tape that to the back of the bag.

TEMPLATE 1 (face)   color   or   B&W

TEMPLATE 2 (arms)   color   or   B&W

TEMPLATE 3 (mane)   color   or   B&W

Print template 3 TWICE!

Printable version