Puppets Student Created

Teaching With Puppets Before using a puppet with the class, make a plan. Select, discover a voice and create a personality for a particular puppet. For example, choose a puppet with a large head and facial features that will portray a commanding character, someone the kids can look up to and respect.

The puppet can be used for teaching proper behavior and making good choices. This is a very good idea for the beginning of school, when setting classroom and playground rules. Morning circle would be a good time to "talk" to the children and remind them of the rules. Puppets may be used as part of the lesson plan to introduce a new letter and sound, such as for the letter "p", you would use a pony. This idea could also be used to count and teach numbers.

Handling Stress Puppets may be used to help a shy child feel comfortable and express his or her feelings, problems may be solved, arguments and disagreements may be resolved with the use of a puppet. A crying child may be comforted and an unruly child could be given an opportunity to make good choices, just by using a puppet.

Making Their Own Kindergarten children are also entertained with puppets. Share an idea or two and let them make their own puppets. Set a theme or let the kids be creative, by having materials available. Puppets may be made from a sock, cardboard tube, felt or a paper bag.

Finger Puppets Finger Puppets can be created by wrapping a piece of paper around the finger and taping it. Materials such as wiggly eyes, yarn for hair, construction paper, stickers, crayons, paint, buttons, or any items suitable for making the puppets, should be readily available.

Positive Behavior Your local church may have a puppet ministry that could be invited to the school to promote positive behavior. Local groups may promote drug or fire safety. In the event of a natural disaster, such as a hurricane, or an unfortunate incident involved in the school, special puppeteer groups are used to counsel the children.

Kids On The Block The Kids on the Block uses "hand and rod" puppets. This means that one hand works the mouth of the puppet and the other hand manipulates the rod for gestures. This style of puppetry is extremely effective in creating an atmosphere where children feel comfortable asking the puppets questions about the given topic.

Is It Effective? Of the more than 1600 active troupes including schools, hospitals, associations, civic groups, municipalities and even individuals, 135 have been using Kids on the Block programs for more than 20 years

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