Workshops

Puppet Pie offers puppeteering and puppet building workshops for almost every age group.  Workshops in the Puppet Pie studio are a fun experience for up to 15 participants.  Have more than 15 people, or aren't able to travel with your group? Puppet Pie can come to you for your school, library, birthday party, or corporate event in the Phoenix area and beyond! Workshops can even be tailored to fit your event's theme, and many use STEM/STEAM curriculum, and they are a creative team-building experience. 

Use the contact form at the bottom of the page to inquire about booking a workshop for your group!

Beginning Puppeteering 
Puppeteering workshops are a fun way to get your group up and moving. 

In this puppeteering workshop, you'll learn the basics of moving-mouth puppetry from Sesame Street trained puppeteer, Stacey Gordon. You will be led through skills such as lip sync, eye focus, breathing, posture, movement, and emotion to help make your characters come alive.

This workshop is perfect for beginning and early-intermediate puppeteers, librarians, teachers, or anyone who just wants a refresher on their puppetry skills.

Beginning Puppeteering skills required: 
Standing for extended periods of time; holding your arm up for extended periods of time; Moving one's thumb separately from one's fingers; Following one or two-step directions; treating fragile puppets with respect.

This workshop is best for: kids ages 5-7, kids ages 8-12, teens, and adults.
1-2 hours

Shadow Puppetry 
Shadow puppetry is a fantastic and ancient storytelling device that dates back to the first millennium. Shadow puppets can build quickly and easily. In this workshop, participants will learn and apply STEM/STEAM curriculum to puppet building. Each participant will walk away with at least one shadow puppet and a small shadow puppet stage. For larger groups, individual stages can be substituted for a larger, classroom stage.

Skills Required:
Drawing shapes; cutting details into thick paper (or card-stock) with scissors (or utility knife); following two-step directions; sitting patiently for up to an hour; coloring; fine motor skills; gluing objects together (with hot glue).

This workshop can be adapted to be more or less complicated according to the skill level of the group.

Best for: kids ages 5-7, kids ages 8-12, teens, and adults.
1-2 hours


Sandwich Puppets
In this workshop, you'll make your very own life-sized, talking sandwich puppet! The skills you learn in this workshop can carry you through to building other types of puppets as well. (Yes, there's a world beyond sandwiches!). Peanut butter and jelly, gooey cheese sandwiches, monster-ami on rye--the puppet sandwich world is your....sandwich! This workshop utilizes STEAM/STEM curriculum.

Skills Required: 
Measuring accurately with a ruler, Cutting detail in fabric and other materials with sharp scissors, coloring, using a hot glue gun, sewing (optional), sitting respectfully for up to two hours. 

Best for: Kids ages 8-12, teens, and adults. 
2-3 hours

Moving Mouth Puppets
These moving mouth puppets are a fun and simple project that gets everyone excited about bringing their own characters and concepts to life. From dragons and fairies to cats and dogs, there's almost no limit to what you can make. This workshop utilizes STEAM/STEM curriculum. 

Skills Required:
Sitting respectfully for up to 2 hours; drawing or tracing detailed patterns; Cutting detail in fabric and other materials using sharp scissors (small curves and sharp angles); using hot glue guns; accurately using a ruler.

This workshop can be adapted to be more or less complicated according to the skill level of the group.

Best for: kids ages 5-7 with adult helpers, kids ages 8-12, teens, and adults.
2 hours 

Finger Puppet Fun  
Kids love this finger puppet workshop. Not only do they get to make two finger puppets, they also get to make a puppet stage in which to tell their story, so they can create their own story.
Skills required:
Using scissors to cut fabric, paper, and other materials in relative detail; drawing; tracing; gluing; fine motor skills; sitting for up to two hours; patience.

Best for: kids ages 5-7, kids ages 8-12
1.5 hours


Finger Puppets
Please note that this workshop is for people who already have hand-sewing skills and are comfortable sewing tiny objects with a needle and thread.

In this workshop, you'll have the option to make up to two adorable finger puppets that are just as quirky and fun as you are! For your second puppet, you'll have the choice to follow a pattern or come up with your own design, but either way you'll get instruction on how to make your tiny creation "just so" from experienced tiny-thing-maker, Stacey Gordon.

Skills required:
Cutting very tiny pieces of fabric in great detail; Holding and maneuvering small tools; hand-sewing very small things; sitting for up to two hours

Best for: Teens and adults
2 hours


Taco Rod Puppets
Make a fun taco rod puppet with or without moving arms. Stretch your creativity with anthropomorphic food! Any day can be Taco Tuesday. This workshop utilizes STEM/STEAM concepts.  Different foods may be substituted, such as sushi, s'mores, and burritos. 

Skills required:
Measuring accurately with a ruler; fine motor skills to cut small detail in fabric or other materials with sharp scissors; using a hot glue gun; sitting respectfully for up to two hours; following one or two-step instructions. 

Best For: Kids ages 8-12, Teens, Adults
2 hours

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have questions? Use the form below to inquire about group pricing.