• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
  • About
  • Shop
  • Press
  • Media Kit
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

teach mama logo

teach mama

helps families connect & build bridges between home & school, by amy mascott

  • early literacy
    • alphabet
    • beginning sounds
    • phonics
    • phonological awareness
    • read-aloud learning
    • rhyming
    • sight words
  • reading
    • books
    • comprehension
      • activating schema
      • connecting
      • inferring
      • predicting
      • questioning
      • retelling / summarizing
      • visualizing
    • concepts of print
    • environmental print
    • fluency
    • non-fiction
    • spelling
    • word building
    • word consciousness
    • vocabulary
  • writing
    • creative writing
    • grammar
    • informative writing
    • tripod grip
  • math
    • computation
    • counting
    • numbers
  • science
    • animals
    • plants
    • science experiments for kids
  • Activities
    • birthdays
    • cooking
      • new for us foods
    • crafts
    • foundations
      • colors
      • critical thinking
      • fine arts
      • listening
      • pretend play
      • sorting
      • speaking
    • holidays
      • new year’s
      • valentine’s day
      • president’s day
      • st. patrick’s day
      • april fool’s day
      • easter
      • mother’s day
      • teacher appreciation
      • father’s day
      • july 4th
      • halloween
      • thanksgiving
      • christmas
    • family life
      • family fun
      • giving back
      • lunchbox love notes
      • school
    • indoor activities
    • outdoor activities
  • digital literacy
    • computer time
    • iPad for learning
  • early literacy
    • alphabet
    • beginning sounds
    • phonics
    • phonological awareness
    • read-aloud learning
    • rhyming
    • sight words
  • reading
    • books
    • comprehension
      • activating schema
      • connecting
      • inferring
      • predicting
      • questioning
      • retelling / summarizing
      • visualizing
    • concepts of print
    • environmental print
    • fluency
    • non-fiction
    • spelling
    • word building
    • word consciousness
    • vocabulary
  • writing
    • creative writing
    • grammar
    • informative writing
    • tripod grip
  • math
    • computation
    • counting
    • numbers
  • science
    • animals
    • plants
    • science experiments for kids
  • Activities
    • birthdays
    • cooking
      • new for us foods
    • crafts
    • foundations
      • colors
      • critical thinking
      • fine arts
      • listening
      • pretend play
      • sorting
      • speaking
    • holidays
      • new year’s
      • valentine’s day
      • president’s day
      • st. patrick’s day
      • april fool’s day
      • easter
      • mother’s day
      • teacher appreciation
      • father’s day
      • july 4th
      • halloween
      • thanksgiving
      • christmas
    • family life
      • family fun
      • giving back
      • lunchbox love notes
      • school
    • indoor activities
    • outdoor activities
  • digital literacy
    • computer time
    • iPad for learning
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

the fox and the crane: shadow puppets with printables

home / Activities / foundations / fine arts / the fox and the crane: shadow puppets with printables
1.6K shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

This week, Liska fromย Adventure in a Boxย shares a super-cool, totally new-to-teachmama.com idea. ย So cool, it’s nuts.

Liska is a toymaker, a creator, a mom, an artist andย a lover of books. ย She isย a Russian who has settled in Canada with her son and husband (and her husband just soย happens to haveย one of the coolest jobsย around!).

Today, Liska created printables for us and delivers a unique way of sharing The Fox and the Crane fable–with shadow puppets that you can print and use today. Awe-some.

Huge and happy thanks, Liska!

the fox and the crane: shadow puppets with printables | guest post by  @liskarediska on teachmama.com

  • The Fox and the Crane: Shadow Puppets with Printables, by Liska

Greetings to the readers of Teach Mama! My name is Liska, and when I do not run around, trying to keep up with my little son, I make toys and write atย Adventure in a Box. Thank you, Amy, for inviting me to write here today. Teach Mama is a regular inspiration, so I am proud to be making an addition to such a fun resource.

When I was a little girl, personal computers had not made their way into most houses, and we only had two TV-channels. If I was lucky, I could catch one cartoon a day. However, we had a slide projector with a couple of cartoon-based slide shows. In my mind it is one of the dearest memories of my childhood: in the evenings someone would put a white bed sheet on the wall, and then tinker with the projector until the focus was just good enough, though never great. We would sit down, and watch the slides.

Where did that slide projector go? I do not know. However, I want for my son to have something as magical and mysterious to remember, and that’s how we came to stage shadow puppet shows, based on our favourite stories. In the evenings we dim all the lights, except for the one we place behind the parchment screen, and the shadows start moving.

Making a shadow puppet theatre can be very easy. Take a box and cut two holes in it, then stretch vellum or parchment paper across one hole. In the dark, place a direct light source behind the screen. Now try putting something between the light and the screen: it can be your hand or a toy.

The audience on the other side of the screen will see a silhouette. Usually, the closer you put the object to the screen, the crisper its silhouette will be.

the fox and the crane: shadow puppets with printables | guest post by  @liskarediska on teachmama.com

If, however, you feel like crafting and making a long-lasting project, you can also follow my tutorial on how to make aย wooden puppet theatre.

For actors we sometimes use the previously-mentioned toys and hands, but our favourite ones are silhouettes, cut out of stiff black paper (80 lb or more). Held next to the screen, they give beautiful crisp shadows.

You can make elaborate performances with these card stock actors! Of course, it might be difficult to stage Alice in Wonderlandย right away, but most traditional fairy tales have a straightforward plot and few enough characters โ€“ they are the likeliest choices for being turned into shadow puppet shows.

the fox and the crane: shadow puppets with printables | guest post by  @liskarediska on teachmama.com

We have already made Little Red Riding Hood and Three Little Pigs, and today I would like to make one of Aesop’s fables โ€“ The Fox and the Crane. It is also known as The Fox and the Stork, and it has only two actors.

Once, the fox and the crane decided to become friends. The fox invited the crane to come over for a visit. When he came, the fox served soup in a shallow dish.

The fox could lap it up easily, but the crane could not. Nevertheless, he thanked the fox and invited her to come over the next day.

When the fox came to visit, the crane served soup in a flagon with a long narrow neck. The crane could access it, but the fox left hungry.

The moral of the story is usually presented as โ€œif you trick someone, you might get the same treatment backโ€, but told with a slight change of accents, can also tell children that different households might have different traditions.

Making the designs of silhouettes is my favourite part, and I am happy to share them with you now. Please, download the silhouettes of the fox and the crane here. Transfer them onto the black paper and cut them out, using scissors for outlines and a hobby knife for small details. Alternatively, you can print the designs on a thick white paper and colour its back black, then cut the silhouettes out.

Print the silhouettes here:ย The-Fox-and-the-Crane-printables

the fox and the crane: shadow puppets with printables | guest post by  @liskarediska on teachmama.com

The-Fox-and-the-Crane-printables

Next, you will need some bamboo skewers and scotch tape. Tape the skewers to the back of the puppets and they are ready!

Now the lights will dim, and the play will begin. โ€œOnce, the fox and the crane decided to become friendsโ€ฆโ€

the fox and the crane: shadow puppets with printables | guest post by  @liskarediska on teachmama.com

If you like having a shadow theatre, you can always take this game further.

Make a program and tickets together with children, then give them to relatives and friends, inviting them over. The shadow theatres are great because they are suitable for many different ages: even a three-month-old baby will be naturally attracted to the high-contrast figures! Older children will like choosing stories to stage and giving a new dimension to their favourite books, helping to make puppets and tell their own stories with them.

I will be happy if you share pictures of your shadow shows!

Other articles by Adventure in a Box you might enjoy:

  • How to Make a Puppet Theatre
  • Little Red Riding Hood Shadow Puppets
  • Books You Will Not Tire of Reading to a One-Year-Old
  • How to Make a Fairy Tree House Furniture

the fox and the crane: shadow puppets with printables | guest post by  @liskarediska on teachmama.comLiska lives in Southern Ontario, Canada, where she enjoys simple adventures among the vineyards and peach orchards with her family. It consists of her husband, an armourer, and a one-and-a-half-year-old son, who is as inquisitive and mischievous as any one-and-a-half-year-old could be. When not chasing him around, Liska likes to read books and make toys. Then she writes about it in her blogย Adventure in a Box: there you can find book reviews and book-related activities that can interest children of different ages, as well as tutorials on how to make toys with and for children.
You can also find Liska onFacebookย |ย Pinterestย |ย Instagram

 

ย Thank you, thank you, thank you, Liska!

I have absolutely been blown away by the Rockstar Sunday posts over here.

Each week, we’ve been highlighting one โ€˜rockstarโ€™ in the parenting and education field. ย These posts? Seriously awesome.

Anything from innovativeย readingย activities to clever math crafts, from ways to teach kids shapesย to ways to use gallon ziploc bags for fun and learning. ย It’s awesome. ย Crazy awesome.

If you’ve got an idea brewing and want to share, do let me know. You need not be a blogger or professional writer to share your piece.

Simplyย submit your idea to us! Easy peasy!

ย rockstar sunday promo teachmama

You donโ€™t have to have a blog of your ownโ€“just cool ideas to share!ย We look forwardย to hearing fromย you!

other posts in the series:

  • letter sounds using 26 kid-centered photos
  • play with letters or numbers: cool summer learning for kids
  • patriotic flags: shrinky dinks
  • how to keep your kids hydrated
  • 10 ways to create a literacy rich environment
  • help your kids love science
  • gallon ziploc bag activitiesย 
  • getting kids to love reading with lit club
  • fractions with FOOD!
  • sweet, sparkly flower craft
  • toddler shapes
  • tons more!

You May Also Like...

  • Virtual Summit for Educators: Navigating the Online Classroom & Beyond
    Virtual Summit for Educators: Navigating the Online Classroom & Beyond
  • Navigating Education in a Time of Uncertainty: A Virtual Summit for Educators
    Navigating Education in a Time of Uncertainty: A Virtual Summit for Educators
  • how to prepare your child for kindergarten -- summertime prep
    how to prepare your child for kindergarten -- summertime prep

About amy mascott

teacher, mother, dreamer. lover of literacy, fun learning, good food, and three crazy-cool kids. finder of four-leaf clovers | dc metro ยท http://about.me/amymascott
tweet with me: @teachmama

Previous Post: « let kids learn on their own time: #tabletopsurprises | teachmama.com let kids learn on their own time: tabletop surprises
Next Post: backyard camping and reading under the stars: summer reading at its best »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sidebar

our books & freebies

setting the stage for rock-star readers
raise a reader
amy mascott profile blog
subscribe teachmama

join the coolest club around:

Find Us On Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

Helpful Links

  • About
  • Contact
  • Press
  • Media Kit
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy

Follow Us On Instagram

View
Open
Itโ€™s absolutely true. 
100%
#Facts

<<Not sure exactly where this image originated. Will credit once I find out.>>

#MyBodyMyChoice #KeepYourLawsOffMyBody
View
Open
My favorite little spot to lay out the mat = โ˜€๏ธ๐ŸŒŠ๐Ÿงœ๐Ÿปโ€โ™€๏ธ

Use an emoji to tell me yours. 

remember: it doesnโ€™t matter what you do as long as you move your body in some way each day. Total game changer. Promise. 

For me, walking the ๐Ÿ•โ€๐Ÿฆบ๐Ÿถ and ๐Ÿง˜๐Ÿผโ€โ™€๏ธare daily non-negotiables for my physical AND mental health. 

I do the @melissawoodhealth videos each day, and her upbeat, casual attitude, variety of low-impact strengthening workouts, and reminders to just keep coming back are key. 

#KeepComingBack #WeGotThis #TalkAboutMentalHealth #MWH #MoveYourBody
View
Open
Tell me itโ€™s summertime without telling me itโ€™s summertime. โ˜€๏ธ๐Ÿšฒ

#SummerSwimTeam #SweetRides #neighborhoodkids #MarylandLife #ThisIsSummer #tanterratarpons
View
Open
Did you get it? 

Have to ask because there just *may* be a secret surprise giveaway for some of you lucky ๐Ÿฆ† ๐Ÿฆ†๐Ÿฆ†

Join now: https://take5.teachmama.com/

#TeachmamaTake5  #iykyk #Take5 #BestoftheWeb #familyfun #educatornews #linkinbio
View
Open
This book is SO different from any other I have read in the recent past, and itโ€™s something that is both refreshing and hopeful. 

My friend @techninjatodd wanted to put out a book that would be a source of hope, a reminder that we are not alone. A testament to the fact that every season of life matters. 

And so, In This Season: Words From the Heart was born, with help from the amazing @apron_education @allylee21 @writtentospeak @omar2764

โ„๏ธโ„๏ธโ„๏ธโ„๏ธ

Life is full of seasons.

Each of us has endured the cold of winter, the growth of spring, the light of summer, and the change of fall. Weโ€™ve climbed to the mountaintops and been deep in the valley.

In This Season: Words for the Heart takes the emotions we feel deep within and puts them into words. The pages of this book invite you to reflect and lean in as you continue through season after season.

๐ŸŒธ๐ŸŒธ๐ŸŒธ๐ŸŒธ

Check this book out, friends. It is worth your time, and it is the perfect book for busy educators to pick up, read a few pages over a quick cup of coffee before the day begins or as you kick up your feet at the end of the day. 

It feels like a quiet conversation with a close friend or dear colleague. Important topics are touched on which remind us that our feelings and thoughts and insecurities are often not as unusual as we may think. Rather, these ups and downs of life are a shared experience that couldโ€”and should!โ€”be shared more frequently and openly. The reminder that we are not alone could not come at a more pivotal time for all of us; in the past two years, we have been reminded that life is short but that seasons change. Letโ€™s make the most of what we have!

Thank you, Todd, LaNesha, Tanner, and Alice for starting this conversation. 

โ˜€๏ธโ˜€๏ธโ˜€๏ธโ˜€๏ธ

Grab it here: https://amzn.to/3O4jMqN

And do follow these great writers, educators, and thought leaders. 

๐Ÿ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ

#InThisSeason #linkinbio #newrelease #whatimreading #beachreads #teacherauthor #mustreadbooks
View
Open
What better time than NEXT WEEK to have the biggest and baddest sale of summer 
โ˜€๏ธ๐Ÿš๐ŸŒด๐ŸŒŠ?!

WOOO-hoooooo!

Stay tuned for more: 
zulily.gfpv.net/teachmama

#zulilyfinds #zulilypartner #zulilywowweek #teachmamadealsandsteals
View
Open
THANK YOU @reallygreatreading for the 2-part 6-hr workshop, Bringing the โ€˜Science of Readingโ€™ to Life in the Classroomโ€”

This program is amazing, life-changing, and exciting. I cannot wait to use these strategies and program with my students this summer!

Educators and familiesโ€”check out the resources on this site. Phenomenal. 

Makes me so happy. 

#TeachReading #RaiseAReader #ReallyGreatReading #OnlinePD
View
Open
We have a gun violence crisis in America that kills more than 110 people each day, and itโ€™s past time that the U.S. Senate does something about it.

Call your senators and demand they #DontLookAway from this crisis: 

Text BOLD to 644-33 and @everytown will connect you.

#UseYourVoice #NotOneMore
View
Open
Do you know what culturally responsive teaching looks like? 

Can you imagine what culturally responsive teaching should look like when it comes to our special learners? 

Join me on Monday, June 6 at 8pm ET on Facebook as I chat with educator and founder of @atypicalfamily , *Lisa Quinones* and Special Education Advocate and Lobbyist, *Lisa Lightner* of @lisa.lightner.ig A Day In Our Shoes.

We will be chatting about the impact of culture on students' learning and its implications on the special education classroom.

I cannot wait. It'll be short--but it'll be packed with info. Bring your questions and join us!

Find us here: https://www.facebook.com/teachmama

Thank you to @advancementcourses for bringing us together!

#linkinbio @teAChTeam #culturallyresponsiveteaching #specialeducationteacher

Copyright © 2022 · teach mama media, llc · All Rights Reserved

  • 17
1.6K shares