Character Puppets

by sheilamarie

Puppets can help you create a character in storytelling. All you need is a funny-looking puppet on your hand and an active imagination, and who knows what may happen!

Ready-made puppets can add a bit of life to presenting topics to kids.

The puppets on this page represent a variety of occupations to help you find the puppet that will help you present any number of subjects to kids.

You may also want to let the kids play with the puppets on their own as they explore their feelings about going to the doctor or thinking about fire safety.
And, of course, there are the princesses and kings available for role playing all those fantasies and fairy tales!

Read on and explore some puppets you may fit into your program.

Puppets in Education

Children Love Them

When I was teaching, I found that Puppets were a great way to get an idea across to children. The puppeteer has a license for being silly while interacting with the puppet, and the children are not afraid to squeal in laughter.

Good positive vibes for helping kids remember a point.

You can use puppets to explore many different themes with a group of children. Having a problem in the classroom with sharing? Find a story on sharing you can act out, or create your own story using a situation similar to the one you are trying to improve. You can get the children to make up a story on a certain theme as well. The puppets serve as a bit of separation so that children can look at the ideas more objectively.

Puppets are also useful when presenting a theme such as safety or nutrition to children.

The puppets on this page are bright and loaded with personality. Many of them are made by Melissa and Doug, known for their great quality and detail.

Is there a puppet here that would make your lessons sparkle?

When You Grow Up

Who Will You Be?

Have you ever asked a group of children what they wanted to be when they grew up? Sometimes they choose the most obvious answers -- teacher, doctor, police officer, fire fighter -- because that's what they know about. These are the people they see in their communities.

Some children think that being a princess or a prince may be fun. Or maybe they just like to imagine the lives of royalty for the fantasy aspect. Although I have only included the princess puppet and the king puppet on this page, Melissa and Doug also make a queen puppet and a prince puppet. If you are interested in one of those two, you will find them by clicking on one of the other puppets appearing here. A combination of royalty puppets may be just what you need in telling your favorite fairy tale. A history lesson could include the royalty puppets, too.

Children enjoy using their imaginations to think about what grown up life will be like. Having a few occupational puppets around will help them act out scenarios of what it means to work as a police officer or a fire fighter. These puppets can also be used when talking to young children about fire safety or traffic safety.

The surgeon puppet can not only aid in imaginative play, but can prepare a child for a trip to the doctor or help with dealing with sickness in the family. Some children need to work out their feelings and fears by role playing and by thinking ahead about what will happen to themselves or their loved ones.

The chef puppet can be part of a lesson on nutrition or cooking. He can be serious or silly and your nutrition lesson can be an interactive conversation between a silly chef and the children who know their nutrition lesson and can teach the silly chef how to prepare a healthy meal.

And, of course, you can use the puppets for play and simple fun!

 

Puppet Sets

For Home or the Classroom

To receive a puppet as a present may be fun all by itself, but how much more fun it would be to receive a few puppets that would work together as characters in a story!

If you purchase a group of puppets, or even better, puppets with a stage, you will be all set to practice your lines and go.

The family puppets on the right could be worked into any number of stories. The same can be said for the group of children.

The "happy puppets" could present some real life tales, and the cowgirl and princess sound like a fun pair.

Can you imagine using any of these characters in a puppet show with kids?

These sets would be the perfect addition to a classroom or playgroup. A home that has one of these sets would offer some family fun, too. Imagine acting out a favorite story or using these puppet sets to help work out some issues and values you'd like to share.

Character Puppet Sets

Plush Happy Kids Hand Puppets Set - 8 pc - Multi Ethnical Collection

8 Plush Happy Kids Hand Puppets. Each of these delightful fabric puppets has a working mouth with a huge smile, embroidered features and durable, sewn-on clothing. They are ...

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Melissa & Doug Deluxe Puppet Theater Bundle with Cowgirl and Princess Puppets

It's always show time! This wooden puppet theater has been designed with a sturdy, non-tip base and plenty of room inside for a puppeteer or two! The stylized theatrical ...

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Happy Puppets (Set Of 6)

Half body puppets have different occupations with the accessories to make them realistic. They can be used to teach children the values of having a job and one that helps ...

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Caucasian Family Puppet Set

3 years & up. Attractive set of family puppets include Mother, Father, Sister and Brother. Features real working mouths to encourage self-expression and build language skills. ...

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Make Your Own Puppets

Princess Puppet or Monster Puppet

What fun! A kit that lets you make your own puppet and choose all the details that will make your puppet special. These kits are great for kids who enjoy making things and personalizing their fun.

The make your own monster puppet has many interchangeable face parts that will cause hoots of laughter in your living room. What kind of hair would you add? How many eyes would your monster puppet have?

Or if princesses are more your speed, how will you decorate your princess puppet for the fairy tale you want to tell?

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More Puppet Articles on Wizzley You May Enjoy

Read More About Puppets
Finger puppets make reading time even more fun! Finger puppets add a special zing to telling a story. Children can retell the story over and over again using finger puppets.
Learning How to Make Puppets is fun & easy to do. If you have children you can teach them how to make puppets, too. Learn about the variety of puppets you can learn how to make.
Rod puppets are amazingly versatile and life-like! They are used in story telling and in puppet shows. But what is a rod puppet? Find out how to make a rod puppet on this page.
A marionette brings lifelike movements to the puppet theatre stage. Marionettes, or string puppets, charm the audience with the magic of story.
Updated: 09/20/2012, sheilamarie
 
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Comments on Character Puppets

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lou16 on 12/08/2011

I used to love Sooty and Sweep and I can remember being given my own Sooty and Sweep puppets for Christmas one year - I was very confused as to how I had them when they lived on tv!

DrDarko on 11/23/2011

These puppets are great and I love your ideas on using puppets in education. However, I am not so good at teaching while I'm always ready for a good laugh.
Somehow, make your own monster puppet naturally attracts me...

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