Puppet Magic
Puppets are fascinating to
preschoolers. Children know puppets are not alive, yet they move and talk like
they are real. This gives children a chance to distinguish real from
make-believe. Make puppets with your child, helping him to complete as many of
the steps by himself as he safely can.
What you'll need:
An old clean
sock or glove
Buttons (larger
than 1 1/4 inch in diameter to prevent choking)
Needle and
thread or non-toxic glue
Red fabric or
red felt-tipped pen
Ribbon
Adult scissors
(adult use only)
Yarn
Other odds and
ends for details and decorations (sewing remnants, fabric, markers)
What to do:
Sock Puppet: Use
an old, clean sock. Sew or glue on buttons for the eyes and a nose. Paste, sew
or draw a mouth. Add other details as desired.
Finger Puppets:
Draw faces on the ends of the fingers of a glove with felt-tipped pens. Glue on
yarn for hair. Add other details as desired.
Use the puppet
to tell a favorite story or sing a song to your child. Try using a different
tone of voice when speaking as the puppet.
Make different
puppets and have a puppet show with friends or family members.
Encourage your
child to speak to the puppet.
Help your child
make the puppet talk to you.
Talk with your
child about real and make-believe. For example, although the puppet moves and
talks, it is not real. Or when people dress up in costumes, that doesn't change
who that person is.