A World Full of Puppets…
I have always wondered why we become so nostalgic when remembering the fun and enjoyable moments playing with our toys.
For me, I remember the moments I had playing with these toys as being fun, full of passion and action, noisy or quiet, but these were moments I had to myself and with myself or my friends. I felt free, playing, thinking, using all my skills, energy and imagination. I did not have any prompts or time limit or anything else to do to be honest but play. The time was mine.
Fast-fowarding 40 years+, I want to talk about a category of toys that I would classify as traditional toys and have become so popular over the years…puppets. Yes puppets are still a thing, in fact it’s more than a thing for Mimitoys, it’s become our best selling range, topping puzzles and arty toys!
It is fair to say that puppets fall in the category of traditional toys as they are probably one of the best toys to bring children’s natural ability to play and use their imagination, creativity, senses, talents and skills!
Watching children (and adults) play with puppets is fun and entertaining but there is so much more to it!
My Favourite Puppets
Im blessed to be surrounded by puppets. So if I crawl inside the child that I was – these would by my favourite puppets.
Playing with puppets opens endless possibilities for creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and curiosity.
With puppets there are no boundaries, we don’t really know what we are going to do when we start, with no solution to work out or right or wrong playing with puppets is genuinely up to the imagination…
Puppets can help children learn rhymes and songs as they imitate the puppet too. Repetition is always good to retain vocabulary, learn new words, develop memory…ideal to introduce new languages for example.
While playing and manipulating the puppets, children develop their fine-motor movements and coordination. Some puppets need 2 fingers, others 3, some a full hand and if you have finger puppets it could be the 2 hands! Marionettes and string puppets are great for hand-eye-coordination.
Puppets create interaction, fun dialogue and even an element of surprise with peek-a-boo puppets for example. A favourite for little ones who like surprises!
Soft toy Peek-a-Boo Rabbit Puppet by Kaloo
Children love to have ‘conversations’ with a puppet and a puppet can become a friend or a confident. A fantastic way to encourage verbal interaction. If a child has a puppet in each hand, imagine the dialogue and conversations that can take place!
Puppets can also be use as the voice who talks about manners or good behaviours, without being the parent or teacher. Children will enioy listening to a puppet, all the better if it uses a funny voice. Children are more inclined to listen to a puppet and give their full attention to a puppet talking or telling a story.
Sometimes, children can use a puppet to express their emotion, without feeling too upset or upsetting others.
Having a few puppets at home and encouraging children to come up with a show is an encouragement to develop their self confidence as they present a show to their family! It also takes a lot of skills to create a sequence of events to make up a story.
A puppet is easy and light to pack and will become an amazing travel companion for holidays or car journeys (long or short).
When children play with puppets, they do not realise it and sometimes we don’t either but they develop so many skills, social and emotional, listening, communication, fine and motor, creativity and so much more.
We need more toys like these that give children freedom and let children be in charge and be the lead.
We need more toys that encourage independent play without instructions.
We need more toys that develop confidence and curiosity, patience and resilience. In fact I did a Podcast with Emer O’Brien – Puppets for Therapy Podcast with Emer O’Brien which is fascinating.
If you have any questions about our toys please be sure to contact us. We love hearing from you at Puppets Ireland and always enjoy receiving questions and enquiries. CONTACT US
A World Full of Puppets | Mimitoys.ie | 2023