This engaging, cross-curricular workshop is designed to align with the Ontario — and most other Canadian provinces’ — Grades 4–8 curriculum. Students design and build puppets from simple recycled materials child-safe power tool specifically designed for cutting cardboard, then create, then write short stories or monologues for their unique characters, bringing their puppets to life through voice, movement, and performance. The workshop wraps up with students filming their puppet stories, culminating in a video showcase celebrating their creativity.

Combining elements of visual art, theatre, media-making and sustainable art practices, Box Pop Yourself can be offered as a focused two hour puppet making only workshop, or a complete one-day puppet video making experience. It’s also easily adapted to fit subjects like language arts, history, or science by customizing storytelling prompts and puppet themes to fit your other classroom activities.

No prior puppetry or video experience is required…just a sense of fun and a love for a little creative, cardboard-fueled chaos!