Children are usually far more excited by puppets than they are by humans, and the research suggests this also. Puppets can sing songs, tell stories, count, help with phonics, and deliver learning across the whole curriculum. They are an excellent tool for developing listening and attention, phonics and maths skills, and personal development. I have been using puppets in teaching for ten years.
They were my number one find in the early days to support behavior in particular, and I have used them ever since.
It has been hard whittling down the hundreds of activities I have done with them into the following 23, but these were the cream of the crop. I have roughly sectioned them off into behavior, literacy, numeracy, physical and PSED.
However, there is a bit of behavior and PSED in particular in all of these strategies, and research has demonstrated the positive impact that puppets have across the curriculum Source. Right, here they are…. This was how I got started using puppets, and I would really strongly recommend to anyone starting out in early education this is one of your first action steps — get a puppet!
I used to use a rag-doll called Tatty that worked really well for this. You can check her out on Amazon here , and here she is about to do a parachute game:. Often the way you start an activity has a huge impact in what happens next. Start with them all sitting and listening, and you have a much greater chance of what happens afterwards going well.
Out comes the puppet, and when everyone is watching start the song. This really gets their attention. For a song, I would just make it up. Time For Tatty! Some sort of action is good as well to make it multisensory.
Many teachers sing sitting down songs, or something similar, and those would be great with a puppet. If you are looking for some excellent songs to support behavior and cooperation, then check these fantastic parachute songs out. If you are looking to get a puppet, the number one puppet that I have ever used is this one :. Puppets are great for introducing rules and routines. It just has an extra power when a puppet tells the children about these kinds of things. For example, telling the puppet one thing they like about school or nursery.
The puppet focusses their attention. They understand that it must be respected, and only speak when you are holding it. If you want to read other preschool circle games that actually really work, then here are my favorite There are all sorts of fantastic literacy games, and puppets can be used with very young children all the way through to at least 7 year olds, and probably beyond.
Here are some great literacy puppet games:. Blending is one of the key skills of early reading. To put it simply, oral blending is merging the sounds that children hear when a word is sounded out. Any puppet can be used for this task. What happens is that the puppet whispers a story in your ear, and one word of every sentence is in sound talk. Today he went on the b-u-s. What did he go on? What is Harriet? The stories really help to give clues and a context to the words. Honestly this is one of the best ways of getting children blending independently.
This is great for children to enjoy exploring the sounds that instruments make, as well as developing their listening skills through storytelling. The idea of this is that the puppet makes up a story. For example, it could go something like this. Today she was tip-toeing through the spooky wood. Writing for the puppet allows them to be far more silly, as well as take risks with accents, characters, and plots that they wouldn't try if they were required to act it out live.
Not only does it help them learn the content as well as writing skills and dialogue formatting, but they also learn important lessons in collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity. We take risks all the time in learning -- and sharing out is the worst. Using a puppet transforms getting caught in the headlights into shining in the spotlight.
Students share with less risk, and the puppet makes the situation a lot more like a performance. Puppet making may seem difficult, but many puppet makers show their entire process through YouTube videos. A basic Muppet-inspired hand puppet doesn't require sophisticated sewing or crafting skills, either. Even sixth grade students learn how to sew a seam and use a hot glue gun fairly quickly. However, there are things we do to speed up the process. Students begin with a design and a color choice.
Before the next class period, we cut the fleece into the pattern. Then, with help from our instructional videos, students walk through the process at their own speed. With younger students, we tend to control the resources, because left unattended, a year-old will cut a circle out of the center of a piece of felt and throw the rest of the sheet away. Many students are very uncomfortable with deeply personal topics and puppets can be used to lighten the mood.
Puppets can empower students and assure them that they can discuss difficult issues without being centred out or put on the spot. Over the centuries, puppets have remained a powerful form of communication between people.
From Asia to Europe, Africa to the Americas, puppetry is a familiar art form that has been predominantly used for telling stories, preaching religious beliefs, and discussing cultural practices, but mainly, sharing knowledge. Puppetry in the classroom can be used in the same way. Puppets aid students to speak aloud in a group setting, allowing them to talk about serious and uncomfortable issues.
Not only that, puppets are also a wonderful visual aid for children, retaining their attention and encouraging them to participate in class. Children are more willing to learn when they are having fun, and puppets are a gateway to opening up the mind and inviting knowledge in.
My mother is a 5th-grade teacher and is planning a road trip for the effort of her classroom. I liked how puppets help infants to be more creative and adapt to new personalities, just like you said. It would be ideal if she takes her class to a puppet show. In need the the correct site and publication of the above article for bibliography purpose please.
Great round up of different uses of puppets in educational settings. Your email address will not be published. Author A Greensmith mentions in her article that, "Puppets can assist children with special educational needs. They can motivate and support children with difficulties in communication and interaction. They can help to develop their social and motor skills, and can meet the visual, tactile and emotional needs of the individual child.
Is she struggling to make new friends or communicate with others? Playing with puppets can help your child overcome her shyness, speak up more, and develop confidence in herself. What are the different types of puppets?
With a little creativity and imagination, puppets of different types can be made. Some of the common types of puppets that we usually come across are: Hand or glove puppets Rod puppets Finger puppets Shadow puppets String puppets also called Marionettes Ventriloquist's puppets Sock puppets Stick puppets More than adults, it is children who enjoy playing with puppets or watching a puppet show.
But, the puppet show is not only about entertainment, it also has several other benefits such as: Encouraging art and craft skills Promoting language development Developing confidence to speak and read aloud Learning behavioral skills Building social relationships So, what are you waiting for?
Look around your home now and pick out little bits and bobs that can go into making your child's first puppet pal. We're back with the edition of the GadgetFreeHour! Related Topics See All. More For You Explore more articles and videos on academics. Is your child able to cope with pressure and anxiety during this time? Find out how to help your child deal with exam stress.
Every parent should know the emotional benefits of engaging in art and craft and its role in cognitive development and learning in kids. Read on to know how you can help her fall in love with learning again.
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