Using Puppets to Teach Social Skills
Carolyn L. Jones, MSW
WESD Behavior Specialist
503-910-8832
Puppets are magic! Children relate to puppets and establish a truly interactive
relationship with these inanimate objects. The puppets are perceived as real people with
feelings and values that they can empathize with. They are also a great way to teach
social skills. The puppets are my teaching assistants and can supplement what I say and
hold kids attention. They are non-threatening and safe for kids.
In a paper on “Social Skills and Positive Mental Health,” Dr. Lynne Namka writes that
play is an integral part of growing up and is based on skills. Play offers the child an
opportunity to learn to deal with the adult world. Play helps stimulate the neurons at the
synapse level to strengthen brain function. In play, children learn to express their
emotions as called for by the rules of the social setting. Children use play to distinguish
between real and imaginary situations. They use play-fighting to practice skills of
physical contact and competition. Most children (but not all) naturally learn to read
facial gestures and other nonverbal communication so that they can respond with the
appropriate skill required of the situation. Playing with puppets is a fun way for children
to “play” and practice problem solving, expressing emotions, and social skills.
Here are some things that have worked for me:
1. I use the same puppets each week. One puppet has the problem. The other is
“Principal” of the Dinosaur school and helps with solutions. The children do not do free
play with these puppets—they are used for the lessons.
2. I check with the teacher before I do the lesson and incorporate what issues are going
on with the kids. My girl puppet, Leticia, then has the same problems. No one is putting
the child on the spot and the child can identify with the problem on their own if they
choose to.
3. I use the problems to introduce the lessons on emotions and feelings, problem solving,
and the use of solutions.
4. I don’t have to be a ventriloquist. I do use the same voice each time and I treat the
puppet respectfully talking with them as I would a child. I develop a “life story” for each
puppet.” The kids remember the details and ask about those details.
5. I don’t use large numbers of puppets either. It is better to start with one and then add
others from time to time.
6. I like to have a “mascot” puppet that stays in the classroom all year. He takes part in
the daily routine. The hardest thing about a mascot puppet is that you don’t have a script.
Sometimes the puppet doesn’t say much but is very quiet. He may just give looks or roll
around or fall off of his chair. I decide what behavioral objective that I want for the
puppet and then learn to trust the puppet to say the right things. Very rarely do I let the
students use the mascot.
7. I use them in classrooms with emotionally disturbed kids and they kids will give
affection to the children, pat them, hug them, high five them, confide in them.
Other ways to use puppets:
1. Have puppets that are characters. For example: Dr. Alphabet, an evil guy who is the
arch enemy of The Amazing Letter Man. He likes to turn letters upside down and
sideways so that Letter man can’t find them. Want more ideas? Check this out:
http://pages.lindberghschools.ws/education.
2. Have extra puppets in your room for children to play with or to practice role plays.
Have a variety of both animal and people puppets. Check out: Puppets from the Planet
Earth Social Skills Workshops for children. (www.autisticsociety.org)
3. Purchase kits: DUSO (Developing an Understanding of Self and Others)
www.familyrightsassociation.com
4. Another great research-based curriculum: The IncredibleYears
(www.incredibleyears.com).
5. Sources for puppets:
www.thepuppetstore.com
www.jumpnpuddles.com
www.puppetuniverse.com
www.puppets.com
www.lakeshorelearning.com
Books to Accompany Puppets to Teach Feelings and Social
Skills
TITLE
Books dealing with Feelings:
Little Beaver and The Echo
Ruby
How Are You Peeling?
When My Worries Get Too Big
Nobody Notices Minerva
I Am Not A Crybaby
When Sophie Gets Angry
AUTHOR:
Amy MacDonald
Maggie Glenn
Saxton Freymann
Kari Buron
Wednesday Kirwan
Norma Simon
Molly Bang
Books dealing with Friendship:
Bubba & Trixie
I Wish I Were A Butterfly
Best Friends for Francis
How To Lose All Your Friends
Do You Want to Play
We Share Everything
Rosie & Michael
Lisa Ernst
Ed Young
Russell Hoban
Nancy Carlson
Bob Kolar
Robert Munsch
Judith Viorsh
Books dealing with Behavior:
David Goes to School
David Gets in Trouble
No, David, No
Toads & Diamonds
Mean Soup
The Recess Queen
David Shannon
David Shannon
David Shannon
Robert Bender
Betsy Everitt
Alexis O’Neill
Important Lesson Modules to teach to young children:
Following Rules
Emotions/Feelings Literacy
Solving Problems – ( Ex: Share, Use Your Words, Ignore, Walk Away, Take Turns,
Kindness, Get Help from an Adult)
Excellent site for helping children with Social/Emotional Development is the
Center on Social Emotional Foundations for Learning from Vanderbilt University in
Tennessee. www.vanderbilt.edu/csefel