Puppets! Great simple ideas for your kids!

Hello everyone!

Today I decided to share my opinion and experience using puppets.

Puppets of all kinds are toys that fascinate children. Puppets help to support oral language skills and communication as well as imagination and emotional development. 

There are so many types of puppets: hand puppets, finger puppets, marionettes, paper puppets, stick puppets, etc.

I find that puppets are able to teach children about feelings, to encourage their creativity and build adequate vocabulary. Actually, it does not really matter what kind of puppet you use during the lesson, children pay attention to any of them and always smile and feel encouraged.

During my lessons, I use different puppets all the time (of course trying to stick to the certain theme of the lesson/s). 

Finger puppets are great and here I would like to show you some idea how you can do them at home:

First, magnetic glove. Excellent way for counting, colours, shapes, animals, etc…

You need 1 or 2 ordinary gloves (from Rimi) + magnets (from Tiimari) + hot glue gun or super adhesive glue.

You just stick the magnets to the glove, please be aware of the heat if you use hot glue gun.

Then you need some paper puppets to stick to the magnets. For such purpose, you can use ordinary paper clips or magnets (I do both ways). Hope you like this idea!

Next idea is also very easy to apply. Just take chopsticks from GanBei or any other sushi store, cut out any paper shape you like and glue it with the simple glue stick to the chopstick! Here you go! Wonderful butterflies for colour song! Children enjoy waving them, show the certain colour when it appears on the computer screen.

Moulages, excellent way for the development of communication, fine motor skills, imagination and vocabulary drilling. Such fruits and vegetables I use for "salad"  or "pizza"  making, then enjoying the meal with the children. This is fun activity :)

 

Hand puppets I usually use while reading the books, or in the beginning of the lesson when I need children to concentrate on certain things.

Simple handmade or bought puppets or toys I also use for improving vocabulary, playing and communicating with each other.

Clothespins are so fun and useful for children fine motor skills. This is spider, alien and octopus. We sing a song with these characters, count their eyes, legs and arms. This is a great way to make "useful fun" during the lesson.

Finger puppets :) here is one great idea for your child!

Just draw some contours (this contour could be suitable for can or pig), cut it out and make a hole in the middle. That's it! Just draw eyes, mouth and you are ready to play! :)

  

Those are the ideas I use on a daily basis.

Hope you like them! I am in the process of making something new :)

Have fun with your kids and enjoy your spare time!

Regards,
Inna