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Simple Te Fiti Paper Bag Puppet

Te Fiti, the goddess of creation from Disney’s Moana, is a wonderful character to bring to life with a fun and easy craft project! This Te Fiti paper bag puppet is perfect for a Moana-themed activity or for any young fan who loves crafting and storytelling. With some simple materials, you can create a puppet that looks just like Te Fiti, complete with her green leafy exterior, floral crown, and glittery Heart of Te Fiti. Let’s dive in!

Who is Te Fiti?

Te Fiti is a powerful and compassionate goddess from Disney’s Moana, embodying the spirit of creation and life. She used her heart, a glowing green pounamu stone, to create lush islands, vibrant vegetation, and abundant life across the ocean. However, when her heart was stolen by the demigod Maui, Te Fiti transformed into Te Kā, a vengeful lava monster, and the world began to decay. Without her heart, Te Fiti could no longer spread her life-giving powers. After a long journey filled with courage, Moana restores Te Fiti’s heart, reminding her of who she truly is. With her heart restored, Te Fiti reverts to her benevolent form, bringing life back to the islands and restoring balance to the world, demonstrating the themes of forgiveness, healing, and the power of nature.

Te Fiti Puppet Materials Needed:

  • Paper lunch bag (brown or green)
  • Green construction paper
  • Scissors
  • Glue stick or white glue
  • Colored tissue paper (variety of colors)
  • Pencil
  • Markers or crayons
  • Green glitter glue
  • Googly eyes (optional)

How to Make a Te Fiti Paper Bag Puppet

1. Prepare the Paper Bag Base

Start by laying your paper lunch bag flat on your workspace with the bottom flap facing you. This will be the puppet’s face area. The rest of the bag below will serve as Te Fiti’s body.

2. Create the Green Leaf Layers

Take your green construction paper and cut it into strips about 1-2 inches wide. Fringe cut each strip by making small cuts along one side, being careful not to cut all the way through. This will create a leafy effect.

Starting from the bottom of the paper bag, glue the fringed strips horizontally across the bag. Overlap each new strip slightly on top of the previous one to create layers of “leaves,” working your way up toward the flap. Continue this process until the entire bag is covered with leafy layers.

3. Draw Te Fiti’s Face

Once the bag is covered, it’s time to give Te Fiti her serene, loving expression. On the flat flap, use markers or crayons to draw her eyes, nose, and a gentle smile. You can also use googly eyes for a fun touch. Te Fiti has a calm and kind face, so keep the expression soft and friendly.

4. Make the Flower Crown

Te Fiti’s look wouldn’t be complete without her beautiful floral crown! Take different colored tissue papers (such as pink, yellow, red, and purple) to create small flowers. To make a flower, cut a small square of tissue paper, place the center of the square over the eraser end of a pencil, and twist it around the pencil to create a small flower shape. Dab a bit of glue on the bottom and press it onto the top of the bag, forming a crown of colorful flowers.

Add more flowers randomly over the puppet’s body to mimic the look of Te Fiti being adorned with nature.

5. Add the Heart of Te Fiti

Te Fiti is known for her glowing green heart. To make the Heart of Te Fiti, use green glitter glue to draw a spiral shape on the puppet’s chest area (the body of the bag). Let the glitter glue dry completely before moving on to the next step to prevent any smudging.

6. Final Touches

After the glitter glue has dried, check the puppet for any loose pieces or areas that may need a bit more glue. Once everything is secure, your Te Fiti paper bag puppet is complete!

Tips and Variations:

  • Extra Details: Use small pieces of craft foam or felt to add more dimensional flowers or leaves.
  • Moana Puppet Pairing: Create additional puppets of Moana, Maui, or even a Kakamora to bring the whole Moana story to life.
  • Story Time Fun: Use your new Te Fiti puppet to tell stories, put on a puppet show, or recreate your favorite scenes from Moana.

With just a few supplies and a bit of creativity, you can bring Te Fiti to life in a fun and interactive way. Happy crafting, and enjoy creating your very own island goddess!

Thank You for Spreading the Pixie Dust!