Stick puppet stage you can make for your preschool classroom

A week or so ago, I blogged about the use of puppets in the preschool classroom. At that time, I showed you a very plain puppet stage - all white with no bells and whistles. Now I want to illustrate the potential use of a display board once you get it all fixed up!

I am a big user of stick puppets in preschool. For every song or fingerplay that uses a character, I make a stick puppet. To go with my stick puppets, I have made this stick puppet stage.

I bought a yellow science display board from the local school supply store and added bulletin board borders around the edge. I also glued little pockets along the bottom and sides to hold the stick puppets.

Everything has a purpose
You will notice along the bottom of the stage are apples in the pockets and number stickers placed below the pockets. The apples are in an AB pattern - yellow/red.   The numbers help with counting when we are singing a song or fingerplay where numbers are involved. Everything on the board has a purpose!

Keeping organized
The top pockets are holding little frogs and fish that I will also be singing about. I can rotate the puppets as often as I rotate songs. When I am ready to sing the frog song or the fish song, I just have a few children come up, get a puppet and jump in behind the stage to sing along.

Making a big opening
This is the other stage that I still haven't decorated yet - something I hope to get done this week. But you will notice that the opening is large and low enough for Wy to see through. What I find, is that the younger children are happier when they can see the action or their friends on the other side. They rather look through the window and hold the puppet. The older children may duck down low to only show the puppet, but they like to take a peak too just to see everyone laughing and singing along.

Choosing a board
The thing you need to know about the yellow stage is the back of it is brown cardboard. So the sides have to face out towards the audience. The white board is white on both side so I can pick which side to decorate and which way I want the edges to point. So just keep that in mind when you are choosing a board for yourself.


Teaching Tool
I rarely leave the boards that I make out for free play although you might decide you want to. I use them as a teaching tool in circle time. They are easy for me to fold up and tuck away when I don't need them and when I do use them, the children are delighted. I use the boards as one approach (of many) to invite interaction and play-fullness during circle time activities.

Now, go and check out all the ways you can make puppets from this NAEYC Teaching Young Children article! 

And check out these unique stick puppets made by The Wonder Years!

Preschoolers and Puppets

Puppets are a wonderful tool to use in the preschool classroom for all ages.  It doesn't really matter what kind of puppet you use - in fact you can just talk with your hand and kids find it funny and they pay attention. Have you ever watched a live puppet show? There is just something about having a little puppet talking to you that draws you in.

Puppets can be used as part of the classroom experience in numerous ways...

Creative art
Children can make their own paper bag puppets, stick puppets, string puppets, and finger puppets.

Music
Children just love to sing along with a puppet. No need to have a fancy puppet or stage, just throw a puppet on your hand and make it sing. Let the children join you in the song by making their own puppets sing. If you don't like everyone watching you sing - no worries. The children would rather watch the puppet!

Performance and Leadership
Some children do not like to stand in front of the other children, but a puppet might help with this. Puppets foster leadership, performance, and sometimes, even the courage to stand in front of our peers. Older students can put on a puppet show for the younger students and younger students can even put on a puppet show for the older students. The funny thing about puppets, is the children don't care if the mouth is moving right or the actions make sense - they just love puppets.

Other types of learning going on
Puppets also foster social interaction, communication, role playing, imagination, story telling, listening, and much more. Don't think your students are too old or too young for puppets because preschoolers of all ages are intrigued by puppets.

Puppet Stage
You don't have to use a puppet stage. In fact, when first introducing puppets, it might be best if you don't . The battle of keeping children from sneaking behind the stage might scare you off from trying puppets out.  I recommend just introducing the puppets and letting the children explore them with you for awhile.

I then recommend adding a puppet stage. You can buy one or make one. I use a foam display board like those used in science projects. I set it up when I need it and when I don't - I just fold it up and stash it in the corner. When I am speaking, I can take my puppet stage with me:)

Circle Time for younger preschoolers

One of the great things about using a simple puppet stage like this is that it really captures the interest of young children. Set up a little stage, add a puppet, and then let the puppet introduce the letter A! Let the puppet lead the children in a song. Let the puppet count out loud, say the days of the week, spell the kid's names, and so on. Preschoolers love puppets and you can use puppets to introduce many wonderful concepts and keep the children having fun in the process.

Check out this cute home puppet stage too! 

Paper bag puppets


You can sing the frog song too!