Puppets are a good way to get the attention of preschool students. They encourage students to communicate more and are great teaching tools.
You can use puppets to model social skills, to stimulate students' conversations, present material and as props during story time. You can also use puppets in learning centers and dramatic play areas.
You can use puppets as teaching tools, but making puppets with your students can be fun too. Preschool students can make puppets out of paper bags, paper plates or craft sticks. Your students can use their puppets to act out and retell stories and poems. You can also make puppets after learning about a certain animal or during a special theme unit--make firefighter puppets when you are learning about fire safety, or pig puppets during a farm unit.
Puppets are multi-sensory, allowing for visual, auditory and kinetic learning. Puppets also help students to be more confident in their speaking. This is especially true of students who are not fluent in English.
Puppets are used most successfully when they are introduced slowly to the class and have strong identities. When not in use, give the puppet a special seat or assign a student to sit with him. The most effective puppets talk directly to the children and even introduce lessons.