Puppets
July 2025
I think we can all recall a moment from our childhood when we turned our socks (hopefully clean ones) into puppets. The magic and wonder that came to life as soon as the puppet was on our hand were truly special. While puppets themselves are not a new concept, their incorporation into the Early Childhood Curriculum can significantly support children's social and emotional development.
Using puppets helps children address social problems without having to deal with the emotions that may arise from peer conflicts. In the process described below, children become the experts. They actively participate in solving social issues and have opportunities to learn from one another in an engaging setting. The outcomes of this process can serve as a valuable tool to reference in other situations.
Establish the puppets as learners who need help.
This positions the children as experts and helps them to develop confidence and fluency in a peer learning situation.
Explain the problem that the puppets are having.
Use the language of feelings to help children think about how the conflict is making the puppets feel.
Ask the children for ideas to solve the problem.
Use the puppets to ask the children these questions.
Choose an idea from the children.
Let the puppets explain that they are happy with this solution and that their friendship is still intact despite the disagreement.
Use the outcome as a teaching tool in other, naturally occurring contexts.
Incorporating puppets into music sessions, storytelling, and puppet shows is an excellent way to enhance social and emotional skills. Many children resonate with puppets and can easily connect with their characters. Puppets provide a safe space for children to express themselves and explore various aspects of their thoughts, feelings, and ideas. When teachers and parents model this behaviour enough, children are likely to start using puppets as their own teaching tools.
Puppets are entertaining and create space for people to be silly and laugh whether you make your own, or purchase your favourite animal / character and bring the magic to life.
