Helping a Play Therapist Choose the Perfect Puppets: Behind the Scenes at Mimitoys

In this behind-the-scenes look at how I have helped a play therapist choose the perfect puppets...

Introduction

Play therapy has become an essential tool in helping children express emotions, process experiences, and build essential social and emotional skills. With Mimitoys, I’ve developed long-term relationships with therapists and have been invited to showcase my puppet range at conferences and professional events across Ireland.

Attending conferences where professionals can see, feel, and interact with the puppets is my favourite and also most effective way to promote this range. More recently, I’ve also started to offer live demonstrations through Zoom, which have proven to be just as impactful.

Instead of sending long descriptions and email recommendations, I now offer video consultations. It’s more human, more personal, it's fun and it gives customers dedicated, uninterrupted time at a moment that suits us both. I find that this is a personalised service that many professionals really appreciate.

"I reached out to Myriam after seeing the selection of puppets she has and she kindly offered to do a video call with me showing me the various puppets and the different sizes this made it easier to choose which ones to get as a trainee plsy therapist I need a selection.  I would highly recommend Myriam brilliant customer service and I’ll definitely be shopping with Myriam again" Katie Trainee Play Therapist - May 2025

A Recent Demo Call: Starting a Puppet Toolkit

Recently, I received an email from a play therapist who was just beginning to build her therapy resource kit. She wanted puppets but didn’t know where to start.

It’I agree! with hundreds of puppet options, each with unique features, it can feel overwhelming. So, I offered her a video demonstration call, and we went through the key types and categories of puppets together.

What We Reviewed: Puppet Categories for Therapists

To prepare, I gathered puppets by best-selling themes that are especially popular among play therapists:

I also introduced other themes and character sets to make sure we had everything covered. Each child is unique, and every therapist uses puppets differently depending on their approach, the child’s needs, and the therapeutic goals.

 

Our Puppet Evaluation Criteria

During the call, we evaluated each puppet category based on the following six key criteria:

1. Size and Fit

We explored how easy each puppet was to use:

  • Does it cover the hand fully?
  • Will it fit both an adult and a child?
  • Is it suitable for group sessions, one-to-one, or pretend play?

This helped the therapist visualise how and when each puppet could be used in sessions.

2. Material Quality

Therapeutic settings require soft, comforting, and washable materials. We discussed:

  • How the fabric feels (some children are sensitive to texture)
  • Whether the puppet is machine-washable
  • Durability with frequent use

3. Familiar Characters or Themes

Classic stories like:

These familiar characters can help build instant engagement and are great to encourage roleplay.

4. Features and Facial Expression

We looked closely at:

  • Puppet colours and how stimulating they were
  • Eyes and other facial features
  • Mouth shape and movement
  • Whether there were different styles of the same puppet for choice

This aspect is crucial in therapeutic settings, where expression is everything.

5. Puppet Movement

We discussed whether the puppets were:

  • Mouth moving
  • Full-bodied
  • Long sleeved

Therapists often choose specific puppet movement types depending on their method of communication with children. Some prefer mouth movement for direct speech, while others use non-verbal expressive puppets.

Why Personalised Service Matters

I often hear the same thing:

“It’s hard to tell online. I was going to order, but I needed to check the size first.”

And that’s completely understandable. I have done a few video calls in the past but never really realised the impact they can have...

It is reminding me why personalised service really matters, especially for educational and therapeutic toys. It’s about trust: professionals rely on my product descriptions, detailed images, and honest answers to make purchasing decisions that will directly impact their work with children.

I’ve built and run Mimitoys since 2004. I know all my range by heart, and I take real pleasure in helping professionals and parents find the perfect puppet or toy for their needs. For me this is a big part of customer service!

Want to Book a Puppet Demo Call?

If you’re a therapist, educator, or parent and you’re unsure about puppet sizes, themes, or use, I'd love to help.

📧 Simply contact me here to arrange a time that works for you.

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