Puppet Theater DIY

So I was driving to the corner store yesterday and found what turned into this adorable puppet theatre!

Finished Puppet Theater

It started out like this

Wood structure in side of the road shape!

I got my friend to go pick it up for me and bring it home.  I was trying to figure out what it may have been originally used for?  Some kind of kitchen thing I'd guess?  I really have no idea. Imagine this structure covered in layers of dust and cobwebs and gunk.  I used TSP and the whole bit to clean it up nice.   I even got out my handy dandy steamer

 I was originally thinking I could turn it into something for the laundry room when all of a sudden I was struck by the shape of the top!  It looked like a puppet theatre.

I primed it and then painted it... and sewed the curtains with fabric I already had at home!  I used a $2 curtain rod from the dollar store to hold the top curtain where the show takes place, and just stapled hemmed fabric to the inside of the theatre to hide the performers (and to hide puppets and stuffed animals).

Here's the finished product

I LOVE it!!!

How to Keep Markers with their Lids!

These have changed my life with markers!  LOL!

years ago, before blogs became so popular, I had an endless and disorganized "bookmark" system on my computer filled with preschool and kindergarten teaching websites.  I saw a post where someone had filled a margarine or yogurt tub with plaster of paris and then set the lids of the markers in to dry.  It was great, but not very "cute"  and I needed cute in my classroom.  

From there,  I saw another teacher site (again,  it was maybe 7 or 8 years ago so I'm sorry I don't remember who to send you to) a woman who had a system similar to the one I have up above.  If you know the site, please comment so I can put a link to their site!

Anyhow, is an easy DIY project to store your markers that you can whip up for your classroom from scrap wood, a drill, a spade (if that's what you call it), and a hammer.  Hot Glue is optional.

I started with a few scrap pieces of 1 x 4 and 1 x 2 wood.  You could use whatever wood you have at home.  Most people have something laying around in their basement or garage.  Drill holes in the wood using one of these.  I THINK you call them a spade but I'm not sure.  

The small one is for the Crayola Original Fine Line Markers, and the large one is for the Crayola Original Broad Line Markers. 

 When you drill the holes, the cap won't fit in unless you hammer it.  This is important because you want a super tight fit.  I've used two of these in my kindergarten classroom for the past seven years and a lid has NEVER popped out.  When the markers run out, you simply replace the markers and use the new lids for something else (I always threw them in the craft centre).

So,  go from this

to this!

Some little people might not have the strength in their hands to pull the markers off the base.  If this is the case,  simple SIT the markers in the appropriate lid.  The colours do NOT dry out if they are just sitting there.  When I use them for my charts, I put one hand on the base and pull the marker out.  I love these and so have my kindergarteners!