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How to Create a Rod & Fish Puppet

Creating a rod and fish puppet, also known as a fish rod puppet, is a simple and fun activity that puppeteers of all age and skill level can enjoy. The fish rod puppet is a multifunctional doll that can go between being dangled like a marionette -- by fish line or twine -- or rod-manipulated -- by dowel or fiberglass -- like one of Jim Henson's Muppets. Knowing how to craft a fish and rod puppet is ideal for teaching newcomers the basics of puppetry or helping to sharpen a veteran's skills. For this demo you'll learn the basics of crafting a puppet face with a moving mouth using the fish rod technique.

Things You'll Need

Cardboard
Two short rubber bands
Pencil
Scissors
Crayons, paint, or colored pencils
Paintbrush (optional)
Dowel rod
Tape
Fishing line

Instructions

- 1
  Stack two pieces of cardboard and tape the ends together so they stay in place.
- 2
  Draw the outline of a face on one side of the cardboard and cut out that design with your scissors. Make sure you're cutting both pieces of cardboard.
- 3
  Mark "front" on one side of one of the cardboard pieces and "back" on one side of the other piece. Drive your dowel rod halfway up the bottom of the piece marked "front" and secure it in place with tape.
- 4
  Use your pencil to draw the outline of a mouth on the "front" and "back" piece so they're even. Cut out the mouth of your puppet on the piece labeled "front." Do not start cutting from the outside edge. Instead, gently fold the "front" piece in half and start along the crease.
- 5
  Using the freshly cut "front" piece as a stencil, draw another mouth outline a few inches above the first one on your "back" piece.
- 6
  On the bottom mouth of the "back" piece draw a closed mouth with your art supplies. On the mouth above it draw an open mouth. Decorate the face of the "front" piece as you please.
- 7
  Attach two rubber bands to the back of the top edge of the "front" piece using tape. Tape the other end of the rubber bands to the front of the "back" piece. If done correctly then the closed mouth you drew should show through the mouth opening of the "front" face.
- 8
  Tape a short piece of fishing line to the bottom of the "back" piece. If done correctly, you can pull on the fishing line and stretch the rubber bands so that the open mouth design shows through the "front" mouth opening while you're pulling. When you let go the bands should retract and a closed mouth will show through the opening.

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