12 December 2023
Puppet show: An effective and entertaining tool in the hands of the parent
Reading time: 2,5′
DEFINITION
The puppet show or theater with dolls or teddy bears is an excellent tool of connection and guidance for parents to children. It is based on token play. It’s something that comes naturally to children from long ago, when people didn’t have dolls and teddy bears from department stores but sewed dolls with leftover fabrics.If we go back, and remember the stories our grandmothers used to tell us, we will remember when they told us that with the rest of their brothers and cousins, they took the corn as a fruit and with the blond fibers it has that look like hair, they sat around the fireplace and made up stories about imaginary worlds for endless hours, girls and boys.
METHOD OF APPLICATION
We use, depending on the gender of the child and his preferences, whatever toy he chooses to start imaginary dialogues. They can be plastic, canvas, paper or puppet theater dolls, teddy bears, cars, super heroes like Batman, Superman, etc., bricks, Lego, even pillows.Also, the child may want to use his imagination to make something or even want to put two straws to talk or two pencils. The heroes are chosen and the game begins!
If the game is during special time, we let the child be the director and direct us what to say and how to say it. This is children’s way of communicating and managing their emotions and concerns. And this is also the time when the parent will be able, without interrogation and questions, to know what is happening to his child, whether positive or negative.
However, the puppet show can also be chosen by the parent, and he can create a dialogue with which he will guide his child in something he knows concerns him, avoiding preaching and lecturing. Thus, he will give the message or lesson he wants to the child, in a very funny and entertaining way, and without anyone getting hurt or sad.
INDICATIVE EXAMPLES
- If we have a child who has difficulty in his social interactions, we can take two dolls and make the following dialogue:
“-Hey little girl, wanna hang out?
– Well, I don’t want too much,
-I have a perfect idea for a game. I think you will like it a lot. Do you want to try?
“Okay, let’s go.”
In this way, we teach our child how to approach a peer and how not to get frustrated and put him down at the first refusal.
- If we have a kid who has trouble losing at football, we get Batman and Superman:
“Hey Superman, are you up for a quick soccer game?-Come on, let’s go eat my dust.
– Drink, man, if possible. I lost again. These things don’t happen. I’m not for nothing. I’m never playing again, I’m the biggest hasogol out there.
– What are you saying, my friend? You are my best friend. I have so much fun playing together. I look forward to every time we play. And I tried very hard to beat you. Stop being afraid of losing, because last time, I ate 3 goals from you.
-Ok, same time tomorrow, so let’s see who wins the tie.””
Thus, the child learns that we are not discouraged at the first difficulty, nor are our abilities and values diminished by a defeat.
For older children, too, who no longer play with toys, it could be implemented by asking them to make, or us to make respectively, a story, a drawing or even a comic book and we write the dialogues. Either way, it remains a tool for managing many situations we face with our children.