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Play and Grow is a Social Emotional learning curriculum, with a focus on puppet play for children.  This creative arts curriculum is centred around the friendship of 3 puppet friends Growth Gracie, Possible Paul & Fixed Frankie Through their interactions they teach pre-schoolers how to manage and regulate their emotions and behaviours in different social settings.  In addition, the 3 puppet friends help nurture the "Growth Mindset” in preschoolers.

 

In each puppet play session children will be provided with puppets. They will learn different skills to bring the puppets to life, as they go on creative learning journeys with Growth Gracie, Possible Paul, and Fixed Frankie.  

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Do contact us if you wish to conduct this program as a core curriculum or enrichment program at your centre.

 

 

Benefits of Puppet Play

 

Language Development

Children love having ‘conversations’ with a puppet, these verbal interactions with their puppet encourage language development. Children who are generally shy really benefit from the opportunity to let the puppet be their voice.  Puppets increase children's communication and social skills by providing structured opportunities to interact. Through puppets, teachers and parents can facilitate language development towards vocabulary which will help nurture a growth mindset.

Social Development

Puppets provide young children, who  are still learning social skills the opportunity to be more sociable.  The puppet becomes the spokesperson for the group.   A puppet can be the voice used to correct table manners or other social skills. The puppet becomes the instructor and children often enjoy listening to the puppet teaching them to be sociable.  It is not an adult voice setting the rules again, but a funny puppet character. The puppet also becomes a tool to help children learn to navigate the world from another persons perspective. Through the puppet teachers and parents can help facilitate socially acceptable behaviours.

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Emotional Development

Puppets provide a safe environment to teach children about their emotions, as children can express their emotions too without upsetting anyone. Children can interact with the puppets as they share their ability to be happy, surprise, sad, jealous or angry. Their puppet character is the one to feel these emotions. Playing with the emotions of the puppets helps to develop the characteristics of empathy and sympathy. In addition puppies are a great way for children to explore new personalities.  Through the puppet teachers and parents can help young children relate to their own feelings and the feelings of others.

Building Self Confidence & Public Speaking Skills

Puppet shows often happens spontaneously when children have access to puppets.  Children develop their self-confidence through the act of handling a puppet. The puppet is centre stage,  and through the help of  their  puppet friend, the child becomes more confident to speak in front of other people.

 

Listening Skills

Puppets are great teachers and can encourage pre-schoolers to listen to them as they gives instructions or tell a story.  Puppets can help children to learn rhymes and songs as they imitate the puppet.

 

Story Telling and Sequencing 

Storytelling comes alive with puppets. Retelling favourite stories is a great way to put on a puppet show. Learning how to repeat rhyming parts in stories, like the Gingerbread Man, helps with memory skills. Through puppets children can become the characters in the stories, and join in the action.  This multi-sensory environment, makes learning a more meaningful and concrete experience.

 

Teamwork & Co-operation

Working together to create puppet shows foster teamwork and co-operation amongst children.