Puppets play have always fascinated not only kids but we grown ups as well. Puppets bring life to the stories and songs against presented without puppets.

There are studies which have proved benefits of puppets play in enhancing development of cooperation, cognitive skills, creativity and improve language and communication in toddlers.

There are a variety of puppets, like finger puppets, hand puppets, stick puppets, shadow puppets, string puppets that you can use at home, classrooms, centers, hospitals, kindergartens.

Uses of Puppets in education:-

1. Learning to Communicate- Some people might take puppets as just another play object. But to your surprise puppets can be the child’ play buddy. When children engage on role play with a puppet, they can be taught a number of real life habits and concepts like empathy, waiting for their turn in a group, ways to express their feelings to others etc. Puppet talk encourage kids to talk to them, and when they see a adult talking as a puppet child is encouraged to communicate. You

2. Understanding Concepts:- Puppets can be used to make preschoolers understand and learn

life skills and morals. Just telling various morals and good habits to toddlers will never make them understand, but using puppets in a dialogue with demonstrations will help preschoolers learn life skills for the rest of their life. Puppets will help keep the kids with the teachers and will not be distracted.

3. Enhance Creativity ans Imagination:- Conducting a dialogue with voice modulations is the best way to make kids talk more. Encourage kids to form short dialogues and use puppets and talk for them. If you find it difficult to make a child do it, the teacher can make the child you mirror and mimic your actions. Teachers can play games and activities that are in their textbooks. This will encourage kids to form their dialogues. Kids can also make their own puppets.

4. Develop Motor Skills:- Development of motor skills is an integral part of child development. Playing with puppets will enhance dexterity, finger control, grip, move their hands and fingers while playing a character.

Playing with puppets will definitely make your task of teaching kids at home or school much more easier and interesting. The stories and songs can be a little boring put puppets will bring life into them and help development attention span and concentration in children. Puppets will also help make kids confidant about taking fearlessly with other people can express themselves appropriately.

Puppets play have shown greater recall of learnt information. It leads to heightened attention from the children, at the same time they are experiencing the feelings themselves thus leads to better and effective learning.

The interesting thing is, kids do know that its the adult who is talking and not the puppet, but kids still watch the puppet and interact with it. It helps in making children the curious learners.

Puppets are a big fun for kids but they are much more than just a toy. Puppets help children develop cognitive, social and emotional skills making them betters learners that may last for the entire life. Do not delay in including at least a few puppets in your child’s toy shelf, use it wisely and you will get to see the magic !!