Touring puppet show for schools and libraries

Schools, public libraries, daycares, community centres and parents booking for birthdays and family events.

A fixed fee per booking, with a discount for several shows in one day at the same school or a multi-site library series.

• Puppet making and performing
• Storytelling and writing for children
• Self-promotion and booking
• Staying calm with young audiences

• Commercial general liability insurance, which schools and libraries often ask to see
• Many schools and boards require a police record check (vulnerable sector check) for visitors, so check with each one
• Copyright if you adapt existing stories or characters, so use original or public domain material
• Winter driving and school-year seasonality, with quieter summers outside festivals
• Register for GST/HST once revenue passes the small supplier threshold, and check your provincial rules

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around $500 to $3,000, depending on how many puppets you build, the quality of your tabletop stage and what you spend on promotion.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $400 to $3,000, depending on how many bookings you get. School-year seasonality and winter driving can affect this, with quieter summers outside festivals.

Check whether each school or board requires a police record check (vulnerable sector check). Also check commercial general liability insurance, copyright if you adapt existing stories, and GST/HST registration once revenue passes the small supplier threshold.