Using puppets to develop language

Making and playing with spoon and plate puppets helps children to:

• Have fun making a puppet with you
• Talk about what the puppet is like – appearance and different parts of the body
• Use their imagination
• Learn about talking and listening

Find a wooden spoon – or several kinds of sticks like a lollipop stick or a ruler. Let your child help make 2 puppets. Draw a face on a paper plate or a circle of card, and tape it to a stick – or you could draw straight onto the wide end of the spoon. Add wool for hair and shiny paper for jewellery. Give the puppet some arms – a pipe cleaner wrapped around the stick works well. Tie or glue some soft paper or material for clothes. Finally, encourage your child to give the puppet a name and a voice.