Make your own Mini Theatre

Build your own mini-theatre using our A4 template, add your choice of scenery backdrop and then stage your own plays using a selection of Shakespeare character finger puppets.

The resource includes a cut-out template for a finger-puppet theatre, three different scenery backdrops, for you to colour in, and a selection of finger puppets based on characters from Shakespeare plays. Once built, there are endless creative possibilities including recreating scenes from Shakespeare to staging your own scripts.

The theatre template is best printed on thin A4 card, rather than paper. Instructions for folding our the theatre are printed on the template. Adults should make the two cuts needed for the stage with a craft knife, before giving the template to younger children.

We have included three backdrops and some finger-puppet templates. These are all public domain images.

This resource was originally developed as a family activity as part of events at the Bodleian Libraries to mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s First Folio. We found it was highly popular with everyone: Primary school age children, university students and older adults alike!