5 Ideas For Early Learning With Puppets

In our home, we really value toys that inspire and encourage learning. Learning through play is the ideal way for kids’ minds to develop, so we try to focus on toys that help do that. One of our favorite toys to use in this way is hand puppets. There are so many great options for learning with puppets. Today, I want to highlight 5 of our favorites. I’m also sharing a peek at one of our favorite hand puppets, as well as a special discount to purchase your own, so be sure to keep reading!

This post has been sponsored by IHelpMoms.com and Cate & Levi. All opinions expressed are my own.

5 IDEAS FOR LEARNING WITH PUPPETS

Reading & Literacy Learning With Puppets

As much as my kids love story time, some days I can tell they’re bored with the ‘same old, same old.’ Introducing puppets is a great option to spice up story time a bit. If you’re reading a well loved book that your children can read (or recite from memory!), they can use a puppet to speak their parts. If it’s a newer book or your kids are just feeling a bit chill, the adult can use the puppets for the read aloud- bonus points for voices! Puppets are a great way to check your child’s comprehension and retention. When a child’s puppet can ‘play’ back what was just read, you know they’ve got it!

Alternatively, older kids may enjoy using the puppets to facilitate their daily sight word review or independent reading. Sometimes you need to switch up the study routine a bit. A cute puppet brings a new, lively dimension to daily reading tasks that might otherwise be boring.

Puppet Spelling Bee

One way we love to pep up our sight word review at home is with spelling bees. #thebigone challenges myself or my husband to a spelling bee after dinner, when it’s time for the daily spelling list review. A sense of competition also ignites his resolve to really spell the words correctly. That’s always a good thing in my book. (Anything to help motivate independent learners!)

Puppets can add a new twist to the evening spelling bee. They can recite their words in the puppet’s voice and character, taking a bit of pressure off the child to always get it right. Challenging kids to spell words in certain accents or voices with the puppets can also help keep monotonous tasks like spelling review fresh and lively.

Puppets For Speech Learning

#thebigone spent several years working with speech therapists. He had a history of conductive hearing loss in one ear as a toddler, which impacted his articulation. Later, he developed a severe stutter, so we worked with a fluency specialist to help him learn to smooth things out a bit. Today, people are shocked when they see videos of him at his most severe. Most people tell us they would never have guessed he ever had any speech issues.

We spent a lot of time modelling speech that was slow and stretchy. Puppets were a fun way to help him engage in fluent speech. I could use a puppet to speak in a smooth, fluent fashion, and he could use another to do the same in response. When working on something like speech with kids, it’s crucial that it not feel like work. You want even basic fluency practice to feel like play. Introducing puppets to our speech practice helped keep it light and fun for #thebigone.

Puppets For emotional Learning

I always find that with my kids, directly asking about an emotionally significant even often leads to them clamming up. No one likes being put on the spot about the heavy stuff, even young children. Facilitating conversation with puppets gives my boys the sense of security they need to talk with me about what they’re feeling. We also choose to use puppets to model appropriate responses to emotionally charged situations. When you’re not in the midst of a volatile situation, and focused on play, puppets can help teach emotional awareness. A puppet can playfully model calming techniques like deep breathing or counting and hopefully help head off future tantrums. A dramatic reaction from a ‘sore loser’ puppet might help your sore loser learn to work through their disappointment in a kinder way. Talking about emotions and feelings is an ideal time for learning with puppets.

Imaginative Play For Learning With Puppets

Finally, you certainly can’t forget to include the most important work of children on this list. Puppets are at their root, fun toys for creative and imaginative play. Kids will learn just as much from free play time with puppets as they will from the ideas listed above. Set up a puppet theater area in your home and give them some time to explore new ideas with their puppets. Older kids can put together a puppet show for family, which will engage them in cooperative working and problem solving. Younger kids can enjoy the imaginative, open ended nature of play with puppets. These plush toys give them the opportunity to explore worlds outside of their own, which is invaluable for raising lifelong learners.

LOVING THE PUPPET WE USE?

Have you been eyeing the adorable puppet featured through out this post? That cute fellow is the wool monkey puppet from Cate and Levi. Their puppets are made in Canada from upcycled reclaimed materials. (Love ‘green’ toys!) Our monkey is so soft and cuddly, and my boys can’t stop bickering over who gets him next! Luckily, their puppets are well made and sturdy, so he can withstand a little tug-of-war over whose turn it is to use the puppet. Cate and Levi have a whole line of award winning puppet designs to choose from (and some other really cute stuff too!). There’s sure to be a few that would be perfect for helping your family learn too!

And BONUS, Cate and Levi have offered a discount to ihelpmoms.com readers. You can save 15% off your order of $30 or more at Cate and Levi when you use code ‘ihelpmoms15’. (Hint, hint- Christmas is coming quickly!) Be sure to check them out.

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