9 Benefits of Puppet Play
Language Development : Children love to have 'conversations' with a puppet. Each verbal interactionwith their puppet will encourage language development.Children who are generally shy really benefit from the opportunity to let thepuppet be their voice. It is also possible to have a conversation between twopuppets. Wearing a puppet on each hand enables the puppeteer to have adialogue going on between two puppet characters.
Social Development : The shy child, or the young child still learning social skills, has anopportunity to be more sociable through the medium of a puppet. Thepuppet becomes the spokesperson for the group.A puppet can be the voice used to correct table manners or other socialskills. The puppet becomes the instructor and children often enjoy listeningto the puppet teaching them to be sociable. It is not mom or dad's voicesetting the rules again, but a funny puppet character.
Emotional Development : Puppets can teach children about their emotions.Children can interact with the puppets as they share their ability to behappy, sad, angry, funny or jealous.Children can express these emotions too without upsetting anyone. Theirpuppet character is the one to feel these emotions. Playing with theemotions of the puppets helps to develop the characteristics of sympathyand empathy too.Children also experience this kind of expression when engaging in symbolicplay.
Listening Skills.: Puppets are great tutors.The puppet on your hand can encourage your child to listen to it as it givesinstructions or tells a story.Puppets can help children to learn rhymes and songs as they imitate thepuppet too
