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Puppet Making
A Lesson in Creativity and Language
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Puppets are a great way to bring out creativity in children. They
can act out plays and have you and their siblings as their
audience. I am always amazed by my children's creations when they
put on puppet shows. Even more fun can be had when you make
puppets together!
To easily create some puppets all you will need are coloring books,
crayons, scissors, markers, popsicle sticks and tape. Have your
child find some pictures of characters in their coloring books that
would make good puppet characters. Color and cut out the pictures
then take the sticks to the back. You now have your puppets!
I like to have a stage for my puppet show. This can be easily made
also. Just open the top and bottom of a cardboard box and push the
flaps inside for stability. This will be your stage. Then,
decorate the box with paint, markers, crayons and stickers. Let
your child get as creative as they like!
It is time to put on a show. Place your box stage on a chair and
let your child tell you a story. If your child has difficulty
telling a story alone you can play the Taking Turns game together
while putting on the show.
Putting on puppet shows and playing the "Taking Turns"
(http://educationaltoyfactory.com/taking_turns.htm) game help
your child with the development of their language skills. They
will grow more confident with their own word choices and learn how
to sequence their thoughts. By making their own puppets they are
developing those very important fine motor skills. Coloring and
cutting are not just fun for kids, but are very important in their
development.
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