The Puppetry Institute

The Puppetry Institute offers classes and kits that include puppetry and related art activities. Options include Puppetry for beginners, Sock Puppet Duo, Make-A-Muppet, Stitchy the monster pal, Puppets From Scratch, Tabletop Puppets, and Lifelike Hand Dragon. Some classes are drop-by classes, and many can be attended in person or by kit, with online videos or weekly video-call distance learning for some offerings.

At a glance

• Ages: 4–18 years old
• General schedule: Drop-by classes are 60-90 minutes long. Classes are typically between 30-120 minutes per session. Many classes can also be attended online; online kits are delivered and video-call weekly distance learning classes are offered.
• Facility hours: Monday-Saturday, 10am-5pm

About the provider

The Puppetry Institute is a non-profit art center and a 501c3 nonprofit. It serves the Central Coast and surrounding areas and offers performances for schools, institutions, festivals, and events throughout the Central Coast and surrounding areas. It also offers scholarships for under-served, economically disadvantaged, at-risk, low-income kids, and kids of essential workers, and a third of every workshop sale goes into the scholarship fund.

• Drop-by Family Engagement Experience — Families · Drop-by; Monday-Saturday, 10am-4pm by appointment · 60-minute class; $60 for up to 4 people, +$20 per each additional student; create 9 puppets in 6 different styles.
• Drop-by Make-A-Muppet Experience — Drop-by; Monday-Saturday, 10am-4pm by appointment · $100 per class · 90-minute class; take a hand-made blank muppet, decorate it, and get a crash course in performance.
• Drop-by Cricut Design Experience — Drop-by; Monday-Saturday, 10am-4pm by appointment · $150 per class · 90-minute class; create a custom decal sticker sheet, T-shirt iron-on, shadow or finger puppets, or a custom mug or water bottle.
• Puppetry for beginners — 4+ · In person or by kit · $25 · Create 9 puppets in 6 different styles; includes paper kit, blank sock puppet, printable coloring templates, and online videos.
• Sock Puppet Duo — 4+ · In person or by kit · $20 · Decorate a pair of sock-puppet friends, name them, and give them a story; includes two sock puppet blanks, decorative materials, and online videos.
• Make-A-Muppet — 6+ · In person or by kit · $100 · Add creative flair to a handmade blank muppet and get a crash course in performance; includes puppet blank, decorative materials, and online videos.
• Stitchy the monster pal — 6+ · In person or by kit · $80 · Learn to make a stuffed creature doll and basic sewing skills such as pattern making and hand sewing; includes kit and online videos.
• Puppets From Scratch — 8+ · Customized classes · Create a character from your own idea; instruction and materials provided. $500+ for fleece puppets, $560+ for faux fur creatures.
• Tabletop Puppets — 12+ · Customized classes · $450 · Construct simple tabletop puppets and learn design, character/story development, sculpting, and costuming.
• Lifelike Shoulder Dragon — 12+ · Customized classes · $750 · Create a realistic dragon puppet customized and built by you.
• Lifelike Hand Dragon — 8+ · Customized classes · $500 · Create a smaller dragon puppet that sits on your glove and appears to move on its own.
• Puppetry for teachers & Therapists — Adults · Customized classes · $650 · Learn to design, construct, and find your puppet's voice for classroom or therapy use.

Open to families, kids 8+, and adults. All ages and abilities welcome. Younger children under age 8 are served by beginner classes, family engagement programs, and crafting kits. Older kids and teens may participate in drop-off classes. Scholarships are open to ages 6-16 from at-risk or low-income situations, as well as kids of essential workers. The Special Effects Young Interns Scholarship offers free instruction and materials to youth aged 12-14, with 2 spots open. Classes are personalized to schedule, goals, skillset, and ability.

Last updated September 23, 2026.