Volume 5, Issue 19
November 5, 2007

Using puppets to enrich your curriculum gives children
an opportunity to reinforce oral language and creativity.
In this issue, we provide you with ideas for making and using
puppets in many curriculum areas. Here's an occasion to let
your students take center stage and show how they can shine!

Susan LaBella
Editor, Early Childhood Education Newsletter

PUPPET MATH
Give children precut shapes of people. On the bottom of each shape write a number from one to ten. Invite children to give each person a shirt by adding that number of stripes, dots, and so on. Children can name their puppets Mrs. Three or Mr. Six and use them to practice counting and reading numbers.

PUPPET POETRY
Help children memorize a simple poem of two to four lines. For example:
      Peter Paul Puppet
      Went to school one day.
      The teacher said “Hello”
      What did Peter say?
Next let children create a simple puppet from a sock, a bag, or anything that works. Have each child recite the poem, supplying what his/her puppet said. As children become more proficient at speaking aloud, encourage pairs of students to use the poem as a springboard to dialogue between their puppets. Note: Children can change the name in the poem (Sally Sue Puppet) to create girl or boy puppets.

FROGGY FUN
Read to children The Big Wide-Mouthed Frog, by Ana Larranaga (Walker Ltd). Then give each child a paper plate. Invite children to paint one side green and one side red. When the paint is dry, fold the plate in half with the red on the inside (mouth). On the green top use a marker or crayon to add eyes and two dots for a nose. Help children glue a long strip of red construction paper inside the mouth (tongue). You can curl the tongue around a pencil if you wish. Read aloud the book a second time and have children use their puppets to “say” the words as you read.

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?
Enlarge and photocopy a picture of each child in your class. Glue the pictures onto tag board. Glue to the back of each picture a craft stick. When conflict arises between students let them use their “problem puppets” to reenact the problem situation and show a better way to handle or resolve it.

FINGER PUPPETS
Mix together well 1 quart of clear corn syrup and a drop or two of food coloring. Pour into small dishes. Let children dip a toothpick into the mixture to paint a face on a large marshmallow. Children stick their fingers into their marshmallows to make finger puppets that can be used with songs or fingerplays.

Check out the following Web sites for additional background and activities.

Preschool Patterns
You will find a variety of patterns. Print them out, color them, reinforce them, and glue them to sticks for great puppets.
http://www.preschoolexpress.com/pattern_station.shtml

Plays
Check out this selection of holiday plays with scripts and print-outs to make the puppets.
http://sunniebunniezz.com/puppetry/plays.htm

Paper Bag Puppets
Great instructions for making a wide variety of paper-bag puppets.
http://www.dltk-kids.com/type/paper_bag.htm

Fingerplays and Flannelboard Stories
Here you’ll find some nice rhyming songs and stories for children to act out.
http://www.angelfire.com/ky2/LITTLEPIXEYDAYCARE/fingerplaysflannelboard.html#CIR0424

Fingerplays
Scroll down the page to find more fingerplays.
http://www.preschoolbystormie.com/finemotor.htm

Puppets
Directions for making all kinds of puppets -- sock puppets, apple head dolls, and more.
http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/explore/puppets.htm