Encourage Learning Through Puppet Play

Fantastic character puppets…everyone wants to get into the act! Entertain friends and family with shows starring a variety of expressive puppets and use our floor-standing puppet theatre to raise the curtain on hours of imaginative play.The attention to design, vivid colours and cheerful features will promote hand-eye coordination, and fine motor skills. With a little encouragement, puppets will help children develop some important learning skills.

Communication Skills

Develop communication skills by using puppets to follow instructions, answer a puppets question or even talk to the puppet.

Creative and Imaginative Skills

Puppets can stimulate children's imaginations by providing characters for acting out stories and taking on different roles. "Alfredo" the Italian chef can bring a pretend play cooking set to life, or Policeman "Cyres Wren" can always be there to save the day!!! Puppets can also be used in songs as a visual cue and to add an extra bit of fun and interaction.

Tip: Allow children to develop their own scenarios and you follow their lead, you might be surprised how inventive they can be!!!

Speech and Language Skills

Puppets can break down barriers and provide an effective and neutral ground for communication. Puppets can motivate and support children to initiate communication through puppet play. Children might be more motivated to mimic difficult words if prompted and encouraged by their new puppet friend.

Tip: Gain your child's attention and encourage interaction by using the puppet to ask them questions about their favourite topics.

Social and Emotional Skills

All puppets come to life when you play with them, no matter how good a puppeteer you might be. Puppets take on different personalities and can help children to explore their own feelings and ideas. Puppets can be shy or loud, happy or sad, even naughty or good. Sometimes a child can learn lessons about life through puppet play without even realising it!!! Puppets can help children generalize what they have learned so that they can use it socially and in meaningful ways in natural environments.

Adam and Friends have a range of character puppets from firefighters to dragons and kings. Check them out online

This article was written by Gemmarose O' Brien - Owner at Adam and Friends

You can contact Gemma at gemmarose@adamandfriends.ie