This section of the Insight contains a number of activity sheets to enable you to create your own puppets, masks, musical, instruments and props.   Where ever possible recycled materials or items easily found around the home have been used.

Puppets and masks are used extensively though-out the play as actors portray different animals.
                  
Three methods of puppet making are included in the information sheets, junk puppets, finger puppets and shadow/rod puppets. If shadow puppets are made, use solid colour card but include textures such as feathers and lace. Add coloured acetates if colour is required. The finished product does not have to look perfect as the shadow only will show.

If the puppets are rod puppets they need to be decorated. Children may look at animal patterns before choosing colour and pattern. Older children might also like to build up the puppet to make it slightly 3D and add texture.

All are suitable to make at home or at school. Younger children might make the puppets or masks before they see the play to introduce them to certain animals.

A number of African animals are shown here, most of which are found in the play. The puppets could be made to retell the Leopard story or used to tell children’s own creation stories as part of the short production that could be told wholly or partly with puppets. Possibilities include:

1. a storyteller and puppets (possibly using a simple puppet theatre)
2. a narrator and puppets who talk (possibly using a simple puppet theatre)
3. a mix of puppets and children playing characters to tell the story.

To operate the puppets, children might think about movements of each animal and practice it physically first (see animal movement section). Now ask the children to think about how the animals would talk. Are their voices fast or slow, high or low? What characteristics have the animals got (e.g. proud, mischievous, thoughtful)? How would these different characters interact and what are the stories that spring from this?

Likewise, children can wear their animal masks and think about who they have become. How do they move? What characteristics do they have and how can they show that physically? How do they react to people or to other animals?

Once the puppets and masks are made, they can be used within storytelling on a structured basis or children can have free play to make their own stories and conversations in an informal way.

Live music also features prominently in Leopard.  This section contains activity sheets that will enable you to make a number of musical instruments; jingle bracelets, drums, shakers, tambourine and Calabash. 

There are also a activity sheets for mask making.  Create your own lion, elephant, leopard, jackal, monkey and tiger masks.

Puppets (pfd)

Puppets (word)

Masks (pdf)

Masks (word)

Musical Instruments (pdf)

Musical Instruments (word)

Props (pdf)

Props (word)

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