Make a talking paper-bag puppet by putting the eyes and nose on the bag’s folded bottom flap and placing the inside of the mouth beneath it. Slip your hand through the open end, with your fingers inside the flap and your thumb below it. The flap becomes the upper part of the face and moves when you open and close your hand.
Check the bag before decorating
Choose a clean, dry paper lunch bag with a flat folded bottom. Lay it on the table with the bottom flap facing up and the open end pointing toward you. Lift the flap gently to see how it moves. Avoid a bag with a torn bottom seam, a grease spot or paper that has already become soft from moisture.
Try your hand inside the plain bag before adding anything. If the bag is so tight that opening your hand pulls its seams apart, use a larger one. If a young child’s hand cannot reach the flap comfortably, choose a smaller bag or let an adult demonstrate while the child designs the character. Fit is easier to change now than after gluing on the face.
Gather lightweight supplies
You need the bag, colored paper scraps, markers or crayons and a glue stick or a small amount of suitable craft glue. Scissors are useful for ears and clothing, with help appropriate to the maker’s age. Flat paper eyes are an easy alternative to small loose plastic decorations.
Choose a character with a few recognizable features. A dog can have floppy paper ears and a dark nose; a bird can have a short paper beak; a person can have drawn hair and a paper shirt. Keep the first design simple enough that the flap remains visible while you learn where each part belongs.
Put the upper face on the flap
With the bag flat, arrange the eyes and nose on the outside of the rectangular bottom flap. Place the pieces loosely first and lift the flap to check that they stay with the upper face. Then attach them with a thin application of glue. Keep wet glue away from the flap’s hinge and edges.
The New York Public Library’s paper-bag puppet activity also places the eyes and nose on the top flap. That position helps the character look consistent when the mouth moves, rather than leaving an eye on a part of the bag that stays still.
Build the mouth underneath
Raise the flap and draw or attach a simple tongue in the area it reveals. Draw the upper lip at the flap’s lower edge and the lower lip just beneath it. Use small paper pieces here: a large tongue that bridges the fold can jam the mouth or crease awkwardly.
Close and reopen the flap before the glue sets. If any decoration connects the moving flap to the stationary bag, reposition it. A continuous strip across both parts may look fine while the puppet lies flat but prevents it from talking. Keep the inside hand opening clear as well.
Add ears, hair and clothing
Attach lightweight ears near the upper corners or add short paper strips for hair. Keep their glued attachment areas small enough to avoid blocking the fold. Folded paper ears can add dimension without the weight of thick objects. Test a long ear before attaching the second one to see whether it catches on the mouth.
Decorate the bag below the head as the body. Draw a shirt, spots or feathers, or glue on a paper shape that fits between the side folds. Avoid wrapping a tight band all the way around the bag; the body needs to expand around your hand. Leave the open end free.
Let attachments set, then practice talking
Allow glue to dry according to its directions before putting your hand inside. Gently separate any areas that accidentally stuck together without pulling the seams. The Frist Art Museum’s paper-bag puppetry guide shows the hand position: fingers inside the flap and thumb underneath.
Start with small opening and closing movements. Say a short greeting and open the mouth on the main sounds, letting it close between phrases. The puppet does not need to move continuously. A pause, a slight turn or a nod can help the character seem attentive without wearing out the paper.
Fix a stiff or collapsing mouth
If the flap will not lift, check for dried glue or a decoration crossing the hinge. If the face droops, remove heavy additions or replace them with drawn details. If the sides tear when you move your hand, the bag may be too small or your movements too wide. Try a better-fitting bag rather than repeatedly forcing the same seam.
If the mouth moves but the face looks misplaced, return the bag to the table and compare the closed and open positions. Shift the eyes and nose onto the moving flap if needed. Test placement with removable tape before making a permanent attachment on your next puppet.
Give the character a short scene
Choose a name, one thing the character wants and one small obstacle. For example, a dog wants to find its missing blue sock and asks another puppet where it went. A beginning, a question and an answer are enough for a first performance. Let the maker invent the voice and ending.
Store the puppet flat and dry with the mouth gently closed. If you want patterned paper for its clothes, use fully dried marble-painted paper. For scenery behind the performance, make a paper mosaic on a separate backing so it can stand behind the character.
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