The Magic of the Puppet for Toddlers—Some Reflections by Connie Manson
The qualities the puppet storyteller can focus on when sharing puppetry with infants and toddlers, relate to inviting presence, wonder, connection, and joy, with slow, intentional gestures and movements filled with warmth. Connecting to nature, observing and depicting the movement of the birds, animals, insects, the breathing of the wind, water, brings the magic of nature to life within the storytelling. When we allow the human puppets in a story to reflect the grace and balance of movements inherent in purposeful work, such as kneading dough, stirring, planting, and the gentle sway in a relaxed walk, children and adults alike can experience a settling of the body and breathing into a peaceful calm that nurtures and balances us as the audience, and puppeteer.
I love to begin the experience in my parent child classes with a sensory game—pulling out the rainbow or a blue ‘water’ or ‘wind’ silk that wafts into the air, settles on and embraces each family, one at a time. For the adults, this is a way to bring them into the present in a non-instructive way, and to offer the child a welcoming gentle embrace that enlivens touch—and what a delight to experience the world through a rainbow or ‘water’ colored veil!
Children also welcome a one-on-one visit from an animal puppet ‘friend’. “Owlie”, a hand-felted puppet created by Susannah White, has greeted so many children before a story with a soft “hoot”. Sometimes it is enough for the child to watch the puppet roost near and greet the parent. When children move towards the puppet, the puppet sits, and waits, as often this is an indication that the child wishes to give the puppet a gentle caress, a welcoming kiss, or a hug. The ‘friend’ can be something as simple as a bunny folded from a simple handkerchief, with a finger extended to offer the bunny a ‘carrot’. The way faces can light up as their carrot receives gentle nibbles, speaks to how a puppet can enliven a moment.
When sharing a puppet story with the very young, a puppet apron or puppets in a basket serve well. I have a soft green leaf-shaped small rug laid out, kneel on it, then open a shallow suitcase-like basket, and slowly and curiously begin laying out the scene inside.
Together we move with gesture through the following verse to open the story:
Good morning to the sun up in the sky,
Good morning to the birds that fly up so high
Good morning to the nest where Squirrel Nutkin rests.
Good morning everyone!
The story that follows is approximately 5 minutes of bringing a song, poem, or short story to life with gesture filled with warmth, and singing. It could be finger puppets, small standing puppets, simply- strung puppets such as fish, swimming through the cloth water, on a string, or glove finger puppets.
At times an ocarina worn as a necklace may peep as a bird flies about, or a small rain stick could accompany the fish as they swim. It is such a special gift when sharing puppetry outdoors to hear the birds sing along as the ocarina plays!
Another way to enliven a puppet story with toddlers is to bring one of the characters over to visit the children, either during or directly following the poem, song, or story. A short story featuring a baker could end with the ‘baker’ offering each child and parent a mini muffin, singing “Oh, do you know, the muffin man.” Or a little story or poem about a bird, ending with the bird taking a turn nesting in the hands of each child. The warmth of the imagination told in the story streams out into the hands and hearts of the children, bringing presence and wonder to the moment.
To end the story I unfold the fingers on a raised hand to indicate a star, and invite any other ‘stars’ to sparkle too in the heavens, embodying each image as we end with:
Stars, Moon, and Sun
Now my tale is all done.
