PVC Theater Adds To Kids Fun With Puppets

Puppets are a great educational tool. Children can use them to build their story telling skills. Youth who are otherwise too shy to perform in public can develop the self confidence needed for success behind the screen of a puppet theater. Everyone can enjoy the show.

PVC pipe offers an inexpensive media for building a puppet stage. The material is light in weight and easy to work with. The completed theater is easy to assemble and disassemble for storage or transportation. The stage can be designed to fit in the corner of a child's bedroom or for use in a large auditorium. If the number of puppeteers grows, it is easy to expand the theater making room for a larger group to perform.

While the size of pipe depends largely on the finished size of the stage, the builder should choose a minimum of 1 inch pipe for a small stage. Smaller diameter pipes tend to be too flexible to provide adequate support. For larger theaters, select larger 2 inch pipe. The materials can be purchased at any home improvement or plumbing store. The pipe is sold in 10 foot lengths, but if this is too long to transport in one's vehicle, the staff at the store will cut it to the desired length.

Choose joints to correspond to the size and type of pipe selected. While some plans call for three way joints, a less expensive option is to use simple tees and elbows. Glue is available to create a permanent structure but it is not needed as friction will hold the creation together and allow for easy disassembly. If joints become loose after the stage has been set up and torn down many times, just replace the joints. If joints are glued, the theater cannot be disassembled.

PVC can be painted if so desired. Before painting one should tape the ends of the pipe that will fit into the joints. The pipe is designed for a very tight fit and an additional layer of paint may prevent them from fitting together. Most of the time, the curtain will cover the pipe so painting is not necessary.

Curtain material should be heavy enough that it prevents shadows from showing through when a show is being performed. For home use, a dark sheet can often be cut to length for the stage. Cut slits in either end of the large hem at the top of the sheet so it fits over the pipe. For a more professional look, choose velvet and sew a large hem to create a channel for the pipe.

Many children already have a puppet in their toy collection. More can be made of many different materials. Socks, paper bags and paper cups can all be used to encourage the children to be creative in making their own new friends.

Puppets can be used in the classroom, at churches and at home. They encourage children to be creative in developing their storytelling skills. Creating a PVC puppet theater can make the activity even more fun for everyone.


Build A PVC Theater To Improve Kids Fun With Puppets

Puppets make an excellent educational tool. The child can use these toys to build their skills at telling stories. Teens that might otherwise be afraid to perform in public can use a puppet to build self confidence behind the theater screen. Parents, grandparents and friends can enjoy the show.

One of the easiest and least expensive methods of building a puppet stage is to use PVC pipe for the framework. The materials are lightweight and can be assembled and disassembled quickly. The stage can be made small enough to fit in the corner or a bedroom or large enough to fit into a big auditorium. In addition, it can easily be expanded to fit a growing number of puppeteers.

Although the size of the pipe should be selected in accordance with the finished stage size, the builder will want to select 1 inch or larger piper for the smaller stages. Pipes smaller than this bend too much to offer adequate support. Larger theaters will require 2 inch pipe. Materials are offered in ten foot lengths. If this does not fit into the vehicle ask the staff at the store to cut it to the desired lengths. Check the plans to determine the length before shopping.

Select the appropriate fittings to correspond to the type and size of the pipe being used. Although some plans may call for three way joints, simple elbows and tees make a less expensive options. Glue is not needed as joints do not need to be water tight. If the joints are glued together, the stage could not be disassembled for storage or transportation. Friction can hold the theater together easily and keep it sturdy. If the joints become loose later they are inexpensive to replace.

If so desired, the pipe can be painted. Before use, tape the ends of the pipe that will be placed into the fittings. The fit is naturally tight and adding a layer of paint can stop them from fitting together. Painting is normally not necessary, due to the fact that the curtain usually covers the pipes.

The curtains can be made from a variety of materials. Choose something heavy and dark enough to prevent shadows from showing through. At home, a dark sheet may work fine. Cut it to the length needed to reach the floor. Open the ends of they hem at the top to place over the pipe. A more professional curtain can be created using velvet material with a large hem sewn to create a channel through which the pipe is placed.

Children may use the stage with any puppet they already have. They may decide to make more from other materials including socks, paper bags or even paper cups. Encourage them to be creative in their use of the stage.

Puppets have many different uses, at home, school and church. They provide encouragement for creativity and skills at telling stories. By creating a puppet theater using PVC pipes, this type of play can be more fun for both the children taking part and their audience.


PVC Theater Creates Fun With Puppets

Puppets offer a great tool for encouraging creativity in children. They help to improve the child's skills at telling stories. Teens who are too self conscious to perform in public can build confidence when performing behind a puppet theater. In addition, the show can be enjoyed by many.

Parents wanting to build a puppet stage for their children will find PVC pipe a good material for the job. It is light weight and easy to cut to size. A completed theater can easily be disassembled for transportation or storage. It is possible to create a stage that fits into the corner of the child's bedroom or sized to fit into a big auditorium. As the size of the group of puppeteers grows, the stage can easily be expanded to create a theater large enough for the bigger group to perform.

The size pipe selected will depend largely on the size of the finished stage. For a small stage, choose at least one inch diameter pipe. This will provide the needed support for stages built for one or two children. Larger theaters should be constructed using two inch pipe. Materials are available at most plumbing or home building supply stores. Pipes are generally sold in 10 foot lengths but can be cut by store personnel to the fit easily into almost any vehicle.

Select fittings manufactured to work with they type and size of pipe selected. The least expensive are the tees and elbows, but three and four way fittings are available if needed. While glue is normally used in constructing with this material it is not needed with the puppet stage. Gluing the fittings together creates a permanent structure that cannot be disassembled. Friction is generally enough to keep the stage together in a safe measure.

The pipe can be painted if one so desires. Before applying paint, tape the ends that need to fit into joints. Joints are naturally tight and the added layer of paint is often enough to prevent pipes from fitting together. Since the fabric will cover most of the pipe, painting is not normally necessary.

Curtains can be made from many different materials. Select a dark material to prevent the shadows from showing through. Many parents use a sheet with the hem slit on either end. If using the stage for larger audiences, one might want to sew curtains for the stage out of heavy material such as velvet. A wide hem can provide the channel needed to hold the curtain in place.

Often children will have a puppet. If they need more, parents can encourage them to make their own. Materials such as socks, paper cups and paper bags may be used to create additional toys to be used in acting out the story.

Puppets are excellent for use in churches, homes and in the classroom. They are good tools to encourage a child's creativity. Providing a PVC puppet theater can help to keep the activity fun for everyone involved in the process. The stage can be stored away in a small space when not being used.



