Your Guide To Using Puppets in Storytime

Puppets can be a handy tool for telling stories, whether you're working with a group of children or looking for new ways to engage your child during storytime. They can help to bring the story to life, and can be used to create different voices for characters.

Though finding puppets for kids might be easy, knowing how to craft great puppet stories with them will allow you to get hours of fun and learning out of them. Throughout this guide to using puppets in storytime, we'll take a look at:

• The benefits of using puppets in storytime
• How you can incorporate puppets into your story routine
• Top tips for using puppets effectively.

Benefits of Using Puppets in Storytime

Using puppets in storytime comes with a range of benefits, both for the children involved and the adults. Firstly, they're versatile (you can use them for all sorts of stories), they're relatively inexpensive toys, and they can be used over and over again.

On the child's side, puppets can help to:

• Bring stories to life - If a child is struggling to engage with a book, adding in puppets can help bring the story to life and make it more engaging.
• Encourage participation - Puppets can encourage even the shyest child to participate in storytime by giving them a way to join in without being in the spotlight.
• Foster imagination and creativity - Working with puppets gives children the opportunity to be creative and use their imaginations.

On the adult's side, using puppets can:

• Make storytime more interactive and engaging - If you're looking for ways to make storytime more interactive, puppets are a great option.
• Help with transitions - Transitions can be tricky, but using a puppet to help move from one activity to another can make things run more smoothly.

How to Incorporate Puppets Into Your Storytime Routine

If you're new to using puppets in storytime, you'll want to work them into your regular storytime routine for the best results. Here are some ideas for how to do that:

1. Choose the right puppet. There are all sorts of puppets available, from fun finger puppets and hand puppets to full-body puppets and Marionettes. Consider what kind of story you'll be telling and choose a puppet that will fit the characters you have in mind.
2. Introduce the puppet before you start the story. This will help the children to understand that the puppet is there to help tell the story, and not to be a distraction.
3. Use simple language. When you're using puppets, it's important to use simple language that everyone can understand. This will help to keep the focus on the story.
4. Keep it short. Puppets can be a great way to add some excitement to storytime, but don't overdo it. Try to keep your puppet stories short and sweet so that the children don't get too restless.
5. Get creative. There are all sorts of ways to use puppets in storytime, so get creative and have fun!

Different Types of Puppet Storytime

1. Freeplay stories

In freeplay stories, the puppet is introduced at the beginning and then the children are encouraged to use their imaginations to come up with their own stories. By acting out their stories with the puppet, children can practice using their imaginations and story-telling skills.

This type of puppet storytelling can also be effective for children's emotional development. If a child is feeling upset or frustrated, they can use the puppet to act out their feelings in a safe and controlled way.

2. Narrated stories

When reading your bedtime stories, add in a puppet or two to help bring the story to life. This can make storytime more interactive and fun. In a guided story, the adult tells the story but uses the puppets to act out different parts. By telling puppet stories with animals or fun characters, your children will want to keep coming back to them over and over again!

This can help to engage children who might otherwise be bored by a traditional storytime and can also be a great way to aid play-based learning.

3. Puppet shows

Puppet shows are more structured, with a specific story that is being told. The puppet show can be as simple or as complex as you like. You could sit down with your child to write your own story or script, or you could find a pre-written one online.

Puppet shows are great for developing your child's attention span and memory recall as they have to remember what happens from one scene to the next.

It's also a fun way to introduce new vocabulary in a context that is easy for children to understand. Puppet theatres make great fun family activities too.

Top Tips For Using Puppets Effectively

Build Characters & Worlds

When you're using puppets, it's important to take the time to build up the characters and world that they inhabit. This will help to make the story more believable for the children and will ensure that they're fully invested in what's going on.

Think about the physical appearance of the puppets, their personalities, and the world that they live in. This can be as simple or as complex as you like.

For example, if you're telling a story about a family of bears, you could have different puppets for each bear and give them all different names and personalities.

Organise Puppet Shows With Friends

If you want to put on a more complex puppet show, it can be helpful to organise it with friends. This way, you can delegate different parts of the story and make sure that everyone is on the same page. This can aid social skills development as well as teamwork.

When you're working with a group, it's also important to have a clear plan and structure for the story. If things get off track, you gently encourage children to talk or sing along with songs the puppets act out. This will help to keep everyone focused on one task and on track.

Use Finger Puppets & Hand Puppets

By using a variety of different puppets, you can add more interest and variety to your stories.

Finger puppets are great for acting out scenes with many different characters, while hand puppets are perfect for stories with lots of talking and adding movement to the story.

Finger and hand puppets often come in many different characters and forms. From animals to fictional characters and even people puppets, you can find a puppet to suit any story.

Don't Be Afraid To Improvise

When you're using puppets, it's important to be flexible and go with the flow. If something isn't working or if the children want to take the story in a different direction, don't be afraid to improvise. This will help to keep the story interesting and will ensure that everyone is engaged.

Get The Whole Family Involved

Puppet story times are a great way to get the whole family involved. Parents can help to create the idea, characters and setting, while older siblings can assist with acting out the story. This is a great way to develop family bonds and create cherished memories.

You can even make videos of your tales to rewatch later! This can be a great way to engage older kids and help them to practice their reading skills.

Find Online Inspiration

You can search on Google, Youtube or Pinterest for some great puppet show inspiration. This is a great way to get ideas for new stories or ways to use puppets effectively. You can also keep up with our blog for new ideas and inspiration!

Puppets can be a great addition to any storytime. By using different types of puppets and planning ahead, you can ensure that your child is fully engaged and enjoys the experience, wanting to come back for more.

Looking For a Range of Fun Puppet Characters?

Hopefully this guide has given you some ideas for ways that you can use puppets to support your child's development. If you're looking for a range of fun and quirky puppet characters, then be sure to check out our online store.

At Fiesta Crafts, we have a wide range of high-quality kids puppets that are perfect for use in puppet storytimes. Our fun and creative finger puppets and hand puppets are perfect for kids of all ages.