PUPPET PLAY

There was a time when puppets were as important in our classrooms as smart boards. Something magical happened when the little scrap of cloth or fur went on your hand – it became REAL! Puppets were a vehicle for language, problem solving, creativity, and FUN!

Several years ago I met Jo-Ann Stamile at a conference. She reminded me about the value of puppets with a social skills take home activity she created from old fabric her grandmother left her. I was intrigued and asked if I could share her idea on my blog.

You’ll quickly see from her description how meaningful this would be for ALL children – especially those with special needs. Through the puppets standards would be nurtured (speaking, answering questions), as well as skills from the 21st Century (cooperation, problem solving, etc.). The scenes could easily be adapted for different age levels and situations.

Social Skills Puppet Play Activity Jo-Ann Stamile (Preschool Teacher, Picataway, NJ)
“Puppets are multi-sensory allowing visual, auditory, and kinetic learning. Puppets are a wonderful tool that I use in the classroom. Puppets also foster social interaction, communication, role-playing, imagination, story telling, listening, and so much more.

This Puppet Play Activity Kit goes home with every child in my classroom. Inside the kit, there will be several puppets, along with cards for the children to act out. Each card will have a different scenario on it to reflect the different situations that arise in our classroom.”



Note to Parents:

Start by picking a card. Read the card to your child. Pick out the puppets to go along with the card. Act out the scenario with the puppets.

You may keep the activity home for a few days. Please put this page, along with the puppets and the 9 activity cards back into the container.

Thank you for participating in my Social Skills Puppet Play Activity.

Ms. Jo-Ann


Circle Time
“Meteorologist of The Day”
The Teacher picks a popsicle stick out of the container to be the Meteorologist of the Day, but it’s not your name. How do you react?

Center Time
“Going to a Center that is full”
You want to go to another Center, but there are too many friends already there. How do you react?

“Conflict”
During Center time, you are playing with a toy. Your friend has a toy that you really wanted. What do you do?

“Greeting”
You enter into school. You are greeted by a Teacher. The Teacher says “Good morning” to you. What do you say?

Making Friends
A new friend has started in our classroom. What can you do to help this new friend feel welcome?

Someone Is Sad
During outside playtime, a friend falls down right in front of you and gets hurt. What do you do?

Turn Taking/Sharing
Both of your puppets want to play with the same ball. What do you do?

Clean Up Time
It’s clean up time. You have a lot of toys out. What do you do?

Table Manners
You are sitting down having lunch. You noticed that the milk is at the other end of the table. What do you do?


UP WITH PUPPETS!

Just search "puppets" on my blog and you'll find lots of ideas for using puppets for songs and finger plays. You'll also find puppets that children can create from simple materials.

TATTLE TALE - TATTLE TALE

O.K. It's important to listen to children, but tattling can be like a fire out of control. To prevent negativity/aka “the squeaky wheel” from getting too much attention, it’s important to have a discussion with your class at the beginning of the year about what is an emergency. If someone is in danger of getting hurt, then it’s an emergency. (One teacher said she used the “3 B Principle” – bathroom, blood, or barf!!!) There are also several good books out now that help children understand when it is appropriate to tell the teacher and what happens when you cry wolf. (A Bad Case of Tattle Tongue by Fran Sandon is adorable!)

Check out some of these ideas that teachers have shared with me. And, never ever forget to have a sense of humor!

Leave a Message
Put an old phone on your desk for children to tell their concerns. Explain that you’ll listen to your messages at the end of the day. You might even want to have a directory.
Press #1 for the teacher.
Press #2 for your parents.
Press #3 for the principal.
Press #4 for the President…etc.

Write It
Get a spiral notebook and write “Things the Teacher Needs to Know” on the cover. When children come to tattle hand them the book and say, “Write it all down and don’t leave out a thing.” If they say, “I can’t write,” respond with, “Well, just draw a picture and don’t leave out a thing!”

Comment Box
Put a box, notepad, and pencil on a shelf. Explain that when they want to complain or make a comment they need to write it on a piece of paper. They must start their sentence with a capital letter and end it with a period if they want the teacher to read it at the end of the day.

Lunch Bag
Open a lunch bag and set it on your desk. When children come up to tattle say, “Go put it in the bag. I’ll listen at the end of the day.” (Yes, trust me! They will go over and talk in the bag.) At the end of the day put the bag next to your ear and pretend to listen for 15-20 seconds. Then wad up the bag and throw it in the trash as you say, “That’s the end of that!”

Tell the Mirror
Place a small mirror on your wall and when the children start to tattle say, "Why don't you go tell that little boy/little girl in the mirror?"

Tattle Time
One of my favorite stories about tattle tales came from a teacher many years ago. When her students tried to tattle she’d smile and say, “I’m sorry. Today’s not tattle tale day. Wait until May 14th and then you can tell me.”

Oreo
Another teacher said she used the concept of an Oreo cookie for tattle tales. The child reporting had to say one nice thing, then the tale, then another nice thing.

Tattle Toy
Choose a stuffed animal or puppet to listen to children’s complaints and tattles. Be sure and name the character. Explain that when you are busy they can always tell Teddy (or whatever) their problems. He’s always there waiting to be their friend.

*You can also let them tell a plant or other inanimate object.

President
Here’s another great idea for tattle tales. Put a photograph of the President on your wall and say, “I’m just your teacher. Why don’t you tell the President?” You won’t believe it, but the children will walk over and talk to the picture!

Sometimes a sense of humor is the best solution to a problem. Keep calm and laugh inside!

WE CAN WORK IT OUT

Here are some strategies to help your students work out their own problems.

Peace Flower
You’ll need a large fake flower to make “peace.” When two children come to you to solve an argument hand them the flower. Explain that they must both hold the flower with two hands and look at each other. When they’ve worked out their problem and have “peace” they can hug and go back and play.

Peace Talks
Here's another “peaceful” way to solve problems using a composition book or spiral notebook. Ask the children who have had a conflict to sit next to each other at a table. Open the notebook and put it between them. Explain that you want to know both of their opinions of what the problem is. Give them pencils and ask them to write and draw their version of what happened in the book. When they have resolved their problem they can bring you the book and go back and play.

Problem Resolution
After students resolve a problem they can follow this routine:
1st - Fist bump
2nd - Hand shake
3rd - High five
4th - Hug
5th - Walk away happy!


Mirror Talk
If children talk ugly to a friend, then tell them to go talk like that in the mirror and see how it feels.


Peace and Quiet
Here's an attention grabber that never fails. Tell children when you make the peace symbol (middle and index finger up in the air) with one hand and put the index finger from your other hand on your lips they should do the same thing. Tadaa! Peace and quiet!!!!

FOOD FOR FUN LEARNING!

Food definitely is multi-sensory and can capture children's interest. Even though you might be at a school that does not allow the use of food at this time, these ideas would be great to share with your families.

Cereal Math
Fill sandwich bags with with ½ cup of mixed cereal, such as Fruit Loops. Children can practice the following.

· Estimation- How many pieces are in your bag?

· Counting- Count and see how many you have. Did you estimate more or less? Is it an odd or even number?

· Sorting- Sort the cereal by color, shape, or size.

· Patterning- Can you make a pattern with your cereal?

* Addition and Subtraction - Demonstrate addition with the cereal or subtraction by eating it!


Graham Crackers
Give each child a large graham cracker. What shape is it? Break it in half. What shape is it now? Break the squares in half. What shape do you have now?

*Let children nibble saltines to make circles and triangles.




Pretzel Shapes
Give children pretzel sticks and pretzel twists and challenge them to make geometric shapes. How many pretzel sticks will you need to make a hexagon? How many pretzel sticks will you need to make a triangle?

                               

*Challenge them to make letters with the pretzels. This is fun to do with a partner as they take turns making letters and identifying them.

*Use pretzels to tally.

                                                      


Three Dimensional Shapes
What could you eat that's a sphere? Cone? Cube? Pyramid?