Party Whammy

24 puppet ideas and four story cards

Print the text cards below. Choose a character from the first three groups; use the last four cards for the show. The random picker draws from all 28 cards.

Paper-bag puppet craftFor ages four and up; prepare pieces to suit your guestsHalloween characters and a silly puppet show

How to play

  1. Choose a character and prepare its paper pieces before the party.
  2. Show how the bag flap opens, then let guests trade character cards before gluing.
  3. Help small groups attach pieces while other guests draw details.
  4. Put named puppets aside to dry while children rehearse a scene.
  5. Perform in pairs, finish with a group bow and pack the puppets to take home.
Random puppet or story card

Draw one when the room is ready

Pumpkin pal — orange paper face over the flap, green stem triangle on top, black triangle eyes, marker zigzag grin

Flap-face quick builds

Eight simpler designs: one bag, a face on the flap and a few attached pieces. Allow extra time for details and drying.

  1. Pumpkin pal — orange paper face over the flap, green stem triangle on top, black triangle eyes, marker zigzag grin
  2. Ghost — white paper hood draped over the whole bag, two dot eyes, wavy scissor snips along the bottom edge
  3. Vampire — white paper face, black widow's-peak hairline, red marker fangs along the fold, tiny paper bow tie
  4. Black cat — black paper face, two triangle ears glued high, yellow paper eyes, yarn whiskers, pipe-cleaner tail taped inside the back
  5. Skeleton — white paper face on the kraft bag, marker teeth grid along the fold, cotton-swab ribs glued down the body
  6. One-eyed monster — green paper face, one giant googly sticker centered on the flap, three paper spikes across the top
  7. Candy corn cutie — white, orange, and yellow paper bands stacked up the body, simple dot eyes on the flap
  8. Mummy — torn white paper strips crisscrossed over the bag, two googly eyes peeking through the wraps

Costume builds

Eight designs with extra hats, wings or props. Prepare those pieces before guests arrive.

  1. Witch — purple triangle hat with a foil buckle, yarn hair loops at the flap sides, green marker face
  2. Frankenstein — green face, black flat-top hair, paper neck bolts on both sides, marker stitch lines
  3. Wizard — deep-blue hood with star stickers, gray yarn beard under the flap, rolled paper wand taped in a hand
  4. Scarecrow — tan patch squares on the cheeks, yellow yarn fringe under a paper sun hat, marker cross-stitch smile
  5. Spider — black bag body, eight folded-paper legs taped in pairs down the sides, googly eyes clustered on the flap
  6. Bat — black face with pointed ears, fan-folded wings taped wide across the back panel, white marker fangs
  7. Mad scientist — white paper lab coat on the body, wild yarn hair, marker goggles around the eyes
  8. Zombie — pale green face, mismatched eye stickers at crooked angles, torn paper shirt patches, marker stitch scar

Showstopper builds

Eight more involved designs with extra bags, larger parts or several puppets. Check each card for additional materials.

  1. Giant witch — two bags taped end to end, felt-brim hat, pipe-cleaner broom with paper bristles
  2. Three-headed monster — three bags taped in a row, each flap a different color face, one shared paper cape
  3. Cloaked phantom — black two-bag cloak, white mask face on the flap, silver star cape clasp, crepe-paper mist from the hem
  4. Spider queen — spider build plus four extra legs and a crown of paper points
  5. Haunted house — two-bag tower with marker shutters, a triangle roof, and a flap doorway that opens as a mouth
  6. Werewolf — gray tissue-twist fur, pointed ears, felt fangs, a foil full moon taped behind the top
  7. Pumpkin coach — two-bag carriage with paper wheels, marker vine curls, and a tiny mouse driver on the flap
  8. Monster chorus — three snack-size bags with one face each, held in one hand for a group scene

Monster-show story cards

Four cards that run the finale: two scenes, a wild card, and a bow.

  1. Scene one — the pumpkin pal rolls off the porch and the mummy chases it across the room without losing a single wrap
  2. Scene two — the witch's broom snaps mid-flight and the only replacement is the bat's umbrella; act out the trade
  3. Wild card — the audience picks one monster to knock on the playroom door and deliver one polite trick-or-treat line
  4. Final bow — every puppet names its favorite candy in character, then all flaps chomp twice for applause

Halloween paper puppet craft kit

Make a pumpkin, mummy, witch or another Halloween character from a paper lunch bag, then let the children put on a short puppet show. The printable pack above has 24 character instructions in three groups and four story cards. Below are supplies for eight children, a simple assembly example and a schedule you can adjust for your guests.

What you can print

Use Print all 28 in the card pack to print the character instructions and four show cards. The picker draws from all four groups, including the stories; to choose a puppet, use one of the first three groups. Children can trade their character cards before they start gluing.

These are text cards, not illustrated cutting templates. Draw the faces, hats, ears and other paper pieces to fit your lunch bags, or let children draw their own. If you prepare your own template sheets, use solid lines for pieces children will cut and dashed lines for pieces an adult will cut beforehand. Allow two sheets per child—16 for eight children—as a starting point, then adjust for the pieces you draw. The print controls do not produce a fixed four-cards-per-letter-sheet layout.

Keep a copy of the instructions with the supplies so a helper can take over. The printable party games guide has suggestions for organizing those helper notes.

Help each child make a puppet

Start with one of the eight simpler designs in Flap-face quick builds, such as the pumpkin pal, ghost or mummy. The eight Costume builds add hats, wings or props; the eight Showstopper builds include larger puppets and groups of characters. Find these groups in the card pack above. Allow extra time for children who want to add details.

For a pumpkin pal, lay the bag flat with its folded bottom facing up. That fold is the puppet’s mouth flap. Cut an orange paper face to fit the flap, a green stem triangle and two black triangle eyes. Glue the face to the flap, add the stem and eyes, then draw a zigzag grin. Keep glue and paper away from the opening beneath the flap so the mouth can move. Slide a hand into the open end of the bag and open and close the flap to show the children how it works.

A mummy uses torn white paper strips with eyes showing between them. A bat adds fan-folded wings taped across the back. A three-headed monster needs three bags taped side by side, each with a different face and a shared paper cape. Prepare the additional bags and decorations for those designs before offering them.

Make one sample pumpkin the night before and put it where everyone can see it. Let children decide how many details to add; a simple face is enough to join the show.

Supplies for eight children

Use these counts as a starting list for eight single-bag puppets. Check the selected character cards before shopping: a group choosing several large designs will need more than this base set.

  • 8 paper lunch bags, about 6 by 9 inches, plus 4 spares; add extra bags for multi-bag characters.
  • Paper for the pieces you draw. Allow 16 card-stock sheets for prepared pieces, plus 1 sheet each of orange, black, white, green, purple and brown card stock.
  • 4 glue sticks to share, plus 1 bottle of white glue for details such as cotton-swab ribs.
  • About 40 cotton balls for designs using ghost hoods or cobwebs.
  • A pack of 24 pipe cleaners, a sticker sheet with 64 eyes and a roll of masking tape.
  • 4 pairs of scissors for children who will cut their own pieces, plus a cup of crayons for every 3 seats—3 cups for eight children.
  • Name labels and a shelf, tray or windowsill where puppets can dry.

Some cards also call for yarn, yellow or blue paper, foil, felt, tissue paper, crepe paper, star stickers, cotton swabs or pom-poms. Set out only what the chosen designs need. Marker eyes and paper details are alternatives when you do not have an optional decoration.

Get the craft table ready

  • Two days before the party, choose which cards to offer, print them and draw the paper pieces.
  • Cut hats, ears, eyes and teeth in advance for guests who need help with scissors. For ages four and five, start with prepared pieces.
  • The night before, make the sample puppet and check that its mouth flap still opens.
  • On party morning, label the bags and put the parts for each character together.
  • Set up room for five children to attach pieces, with a separate place for drawing details. Four glue sticks will need to be shared; demonstrate that arrangement before starting.
  • Leave a named space for each finished puppet and keep the four story cards nearby. You can print a smaller copy for the host’s pocket if your printer supports it.

Keep glue sticks at the craft table; the paper-bag designs here do not require hot glue. Offer markers or crayons rather than adding a painting stage. For younger siblings, a bag with drawn features and prepared paper pieces gives them a simpler way to join. Age labels alone do not establish whether scissors or small decorations suit a particular child.

When one group is attaching pieces, the others can draw faces or shirt details. Children waiting for help can keep working on a part that does not need glue. The craft party activities guide covers table setup and pauses; preschool party games offers simpler activities if younger guests would rather play.

An example 40-minute craft and show

Example for eight children using mostly simple puppets: 40 minutes total. Prepare the paper pieces before this session. Larger builds or a bigger group may need longer.

  1. 0–5 minutes: Show the sample and choose characters. Demonstrate the moving flap, hand out cards and allow trades.
  2. 5–20 minutes: Make the puppets. Help up to five guests attach pieces at a time while the others draw details. Move children between the two areas as places become free.
  3. 20–30 minutes: Put puppets aside and rehearse. Allow ten minutes for drying while pairs choose a scene and practice their lines. Check the glued pieces before handling; some materials may need longer.
  4. 30–40 minutes: Perform and pack up. Run the two scenes, try the audience prompt if there is time, then give everyone a bow and put named puppets in take-home bags.

If the last puppets need more time, shorten the show or extend the session. The drying allowance starts when each puppet is put aside, so an unfinished puppet at minute 20 cannot automatically join the show at minute 30.

Put on a short monster show

Read the four story cards aloud while the puppets are drying. Pair children for each scene and use the couch as a stage if it fits your room: the performers kneel behind it and hold their puppets above the back. Children can also perform from their seats.

In the first scene, the pumpkin pal rolls off the porch and the mummy chases it without losing its wraps. In the second, the witch’s broom breaks and the bat offers an umbrella instead. If nobody made those characters, let the pairs use their own puppets in the same situations.

The wild card asks the audience to choose a monster to knock on the playroom door and say a polite trick-or-treat line. Finish with each willing puppet naming a favorite candy, then have all the mouths chomp twice for applause. Applaud after each scene. Guests can watch, read a card or help with sounds instead of performing.

Printable notes for the host

Print these fields with the instructions and fill them in before the party. Leave finished puppets in their named drying spaces until they are ready to pack.

DetailYour notes
Number of children and helpers____________________________________
Characters to offer____________________________________
Pieces to cut before the party____________________________________
Extra bags and decorations needed____________________________________
Who will help with gluing____________________________________
Where puppets will dry____________________________________
Activity for children waiting____________________________________
First scene: performers and puppets____________________________________
Second scene: performers and puppets____________________________________
Craft start and pickup time____________________________________

Extra notes: ____________________________________________________________

More notes: ____________________________________________________________

Other activities for the Halloween party

Have one waiting activity ready rather than opening several new stations. Halloween picture bingo offers a picture-based option; Halloween word games gives readers a pencil activity. If you already have the pieces and laces prepared, Halloween lacing cards can be another table option. Open the linked instructions and prepare the supplies before party day.

For a break that stays seated, browse quiet party games. If the group wants to move after the show, pick a game from Halloween party games for kids that fits the room, or prepare the separate numbered route in the Halloween hunt around the house.

For another craft session, Halloween paper garlands describes a shared decoration project. Put the puppets away first so the children have room for the new supplies. The seasonal party ideas guide can help you decide what else to include in the celebration.

Questions about the puppet craft

How long should I allow for the craft and show?

The example schedule allows 40 minutes: five to demonstrate, fifteen to build, ten to dry and rehearse, and ten to perform and pack up. Allow longer for large puppets or more glue-station turns.

What age are the puppet ideas for?

These puppet ideas are intended for ages four and up. Prepare the paper pieces for children who need help cutting, and offer a simpler decorated bag to younger siblings. Match the materials and steps to the children taking part.

Can I use the cards with a class of 24?

You could use four tables of six, with an adult helping at each table. Start with 24 standard bags plus four spares, and add the extra bags needed for the chosen designs. Multiply the eight-child consumable counts by three as a starting point and check the materials for each character.

Are cutting templates included?

The printable pack contains text instructions and story cards, not illustrated cutting templates. Draw the paper pieces to fit your bags before the party. If you make your own templates, solid lines can mark pieces children will cut and dashed lines can mark pieces an adult will prepare.

Does every child have to perform?

No. Children can perform in pairs, help read a scene, make an audience sound or watch. Read each scene aloud before starting, then finish with a group bow.