How many of you use puppets or something of the kind for story telling? Do you involve you children in the storytelling with the puppets? Does this help their reading skills some way?
When Hunter first started to learn to read I used a rabbit puppet (whom we named “Reader Rabbit”). It helped a lot as they were “Reader Rabbit’s” words and Hunter would play games and help out Reader Rabbit finding the right word or making sentences, or reading aloud to him.
It helped to motivate him a lot (just as “Math Lion” did for math) and we still use Reader Rabbit in our reading games.
I haven’t used one myself, but I take Laurana to a Moms and Tots workshop once a week where they do use one and they expect the babies to sit on a carpet and stay there for story time - the puppet seems to keep their attention well and my daughter listens better than she listens to me at home so I may just bring one in too. What I would like to know though is how to use a puppet and still manage to cuddle my child and turn the pages all at the same time - I am not going to expect her to sit on a mat for story time at home!
I make and use my own puppets all the time. My child loves the puppets that are as big as he is. We have a puppet ministry and he loves to watch mommy perform. I have made the books for my child along with 30 inch talking puppets. I love to make books and the puppets for him adn for other churchs. We are currently creating a website it is still under construction
www.puppetsofpraise.webs.com
In my curriculum we use hand puppets, finger puppets, arm puppets, and stick puppets. Creating a puppet stage out of a shoe box is a great way to teach a story and to interact with your child. My toddler has to have help but we enjoy creating together.