Create a marionette. Activities for Kids.

Create a marionette

Build a simple marionette puppet using cardboard, string, dowels, and craft supplies; learn basic joints, control movements, and create a short puppet performance.

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Step-by-step guide to create a marionette puppet

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Kylee Makes a String Puppet | DIY Marionette Button Puppet | Crafts for Kids Video

What you need

Adult supervision required, brads (paper fasteners), cardboard, colouring and craft supplies (markers googly eyes fabric scraps), glue, pencil and ruler, scissors, string, tape, wooden dowels or bamboo skewers

Step 1

Gather all the materials and clear a flat workspace so you have room to build.

Step 2

Use your pencil and ruler to draw a simple puppet shape on the cardboard: head torso two arms and two legs.

Step 3

Cut out each cardboard piece carefully with scissors.

Step 4

Decide where the joints should be and mark small dots at the shoulder hip neck and knee spots on each piece.

Step 5

Make small holes at each marked dot using a pencil tip or hole punch.

Step 6

Join the pieces at matching holes by pushing a brad through and spreading its feet to create movable joints.

Step 7

Decorate the puppet parts with your colouring and craft supplies to give it a face outfit and character.

Step 8

Cut separate lengths of string—one for each arm one for each leg and one for the head—leaving extra length for tying.

Step 9

Tie one end of each string securely to the brad or a reinforced spot near each joint and add a bit of tape if you want extra strength.

Step 10

Make the control cross by crossing two wooden dowels and tying them together tightly in the middle with string or tape.

Step 11

Tie the free ends of the puppet strings to the control cross so each string controls one limb or the head.

Step 12

Hold the control cross and gently move the strings to see how the puppet moves.

Step 13

Shorten or lengthen and retie any strings that need adjusting so the puppet moves smoothly.

Step 14

Practice a short puppet routine and then share your finished marionette and a short performance on DIY.org

Final steps

You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!

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Help!?

What can we use instead of wooden dowels or metal brads if we can't find them?

Use two pencils or chopsticks crossed for the control cross and paper fasteners (split pins), small bolts with washers, or tightly knotted string through reinforced punched holes instead of metal brads to make movable joints.

My puppet's joints are too loose or the limbs flop — what should I do?

If holes are too big or brads feel loose, re‑punch a smaller hole, add a small washer or bead on the brad, or reinforce the joint area with a bit of tape behind the cardboard so the brad holds snugly but still allows movement.

How can we change the activity for younger or older kids?

For younger children have an adult pre‑cut the cardboard pieces, pre‑punch holes, and use thick yarn and tape for strings, while older kids can add extra elbow/knee joints, thinner string for finer control, and more complex control‑cross designs.

How can we make the marionette more unique or perform better in our DIY.org video?

During the decorate step add painted costumes, fabric scraps, googly eyes or glued details, build a small cardboard stage or backdrop, and practice shortening or lengthening strings so the puppet's movements look smooth on camera.

Watch videos on how to create a marionette puppet

Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

How to make puppet (DIY Marionette puppet) from paper

4 Videos

Facts about puppetry

📦 Cardboard is lightweight, easy to cut and decorate, and is a favorite material for quick puppet bodies and stages.

🐸 Jim Henson started making puppets as a teenager and later created the Muppets, revolutionizing puppetry on TV.

🎭 Marionettes are puppets controlled from above using strings or wires attached to a wooden control bar called a marionette cross.

🪢 Some professional marionettes use more than a dozen strings so each limb and gesture can be moved independently.

🪵 Wooden dowels are perfect for puppet control rods because they're strong, smooth, and easy to tie or glue strings to.

How do you build a simple marionette puppet?

To build a simple marionette, trace and cut puppet body parts from cardboard, reinforce key pieces, and punch small holes at joint points. Connect limbs with brads or split pins to create hinges. Tie strong thread or thin twine from each limb through its hole, then secure to a wooden control cross made from two dowels. Adjust string lengths so limbs hang and move freely, decorate the puppet, and practice controlling simple gestures before a short performance.

What materials do I need to make a marionette?

Materials: sturdy cardboard or thin craft plywood, two wooden dowels (for the control cross), strong thread, twine, or fishing line, brads/split pins or small washers and bolts for joints, scissors and a craft knife (adult use), hole punch, glue and tape, paint/markers and fabric scraps for decoration, ruler and pencil. Optional: beads for joints, washers to prevent wear, and hot glue gun for reinforcement. Use child-safe tools when possible.

What ages is making a marionette suitable for?

Suitable ages: Best for children aged about 7–14. Ages 7–10 can follow simple templates with adult help for cutting, knotting, and fine-tuning string tension. Ages 11–14 can design more complex joints and control setups independently. For younger children (3–6), consider a simpler puppet type (sock or stick puppet) instead. Always supervise when using sharp tools, small parts, or strings to prevent choking or entanglement.

What are the benefits, safety tips, and variations for marionette-making?

Benefits and safety tips: Marionette-making boosts fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, problem-solving, creativity, and storytelling confidence. It teaches basic engineering and sequencing. Safety: supervise cutting tools and hot glue, use child-safe scissors, anchor knots securely, and keep strings short around young children to avoid entanglement. Variations: make simpler stick puppets, use foam or felt parts, add elastic joints, or motorize a cross for group performances.

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All Activities

Create a marionette

Create a marionette

Kylee Makes a String Puppet | DIY Marionette Button Puppet | Crafts for Kids Video

How to make puppet (DIY Marionette puppet) from paper

4 Videos

How do you build a simple marionette puppet?

What materials do I need to make a marionette?

What ages is making a marionette suitable for?

What are the benefits, safety tips, and variations for marionette-making?