A flat-bottomed paper lunch bag has a built-in mouth just waiting to become a puppet — which makes paper bag puppets one of the simplest, most joyful crafts for kids. The folded base opens and closes to "talk," and a few scraps of paper turn it into any animal or character you like.
It's a recycled-friendly craft that ends in a puppet show. Here's how to make paper bag puppets, then bring them to life.
What you'll need
- Flat-bottomed paper lunch bags
- Paper scraps, card, and googly eyes (or drawn eyes for under-3s)
- Glue, non-toxic markers, and scissors (an adult job for little ones)
- Wool, buttons, and fabric scraps for hair and details
Make one step by step
- Lay the bag flat with the folded bottom flap facing up — this flap is the mouth.
- Add the top of the face above and onto the flap, and the mouth and chin hidden underneath it.
- Add eyes above the flap and a nose at its edge.
- Add character — ears, a mane, hair, whiskers, or a tongue from paper scraps.
- Slip your hand in, fingers in the flap, and make it talk.
Puppet ideas
Dogs, cats, a lion with a paper mane, owls, frogs with a long tongue, rabbits with tall ears, sharks, monsters — almost anything works.
Put on a show
Make a cast, build a stage from a cardboard box, and tell a story. Add toilet roll tube finger puppets for an even bigger cast.
Made a puppet troupe? Share your characters in the comments at ecoxee.com — we'd love to meet them.
Keep reading: Musical Instruments You Can Make From Recyclables, Rock Painting for Kids: Ideas & Tips, and Easy Recycled Bird Feeders Kids Can Make.
