Campers often have days full of adventure, but when you get back to the campsite at night, it’s time to settle in and make sure everyone is entertained. Sure, you’ve got running water and electricity, but did you let the kids bring the Xbox? Even if you did, it’s great to do family entertainment, and making shadow puppets means putting on a creative and even educational show, inside the vehicle or out.
Photo Source: Planet-Science.com
If you want to make your very own shadow puppets, you do need a few supplies. First off, you need a lamp or some kind of light source, but a high-powered flashlight will do. You might even use a campfire or the emergency light you have tucked away to look under your RV in the dark. You’ll also need a pencil, scissors, transparent tape, and cardboard. Skewers are also necessary, but you might have those from roasting marshmallows over the campfire just outside your RV. A white wall or surface is also necessary. Many RV owners can just use the side of their vehicle, but a sheet works too.
Once you have everything gathered, choose the kinds of puppets you want. If you’re not sure on ideas, ask yourself what your favorite animal is. Would you rather mimic friends and family that might watch the show? Maybe a ghost for ghost story? Once you decide, draw the outlines of your puppets onto the cardboard before cutting them out. Use the transparent tape to affix them to skewers.
Put your lamp or light source on the ground or even a small table for some elevation. Point it at your show surface, and then turn it on. The less light there is elsewhere, the better, so if your campsite has a lot of illumination from other sources, consider doing the show in your RV.
Hold your puppets in between the wall and the light. You should see their shadows on the wall, and moving them in various directions will give you different shadow sizes.
Depending on who your ‘neighbors’ are that night, you might even have two families to entertain at once to make new friends on the road. Just make sure your show doesn’t upset the values of the other parents.
For more ideas on making shadow puppets: http://www.planet-science.com/categories/under-11s/our-world/2012/04/make-your-own-shadow-puppets.aspx
