“Who wants to put on a puppet show” I asked as I looked at the hands go up in a first grade classroom. My two friends came over to retrieve the Frog Life Cycle and German Shepherd Puppy puppets to go off and start their story. A little while later they came back, all smiles, ready to perform for me. This cleverly designed puppet was in its egg form,  with the lenticular printed egg patch showing both depth and motion of a tadpole swimming–a little hint as to what is revealed next. My little friend turned to the puppy and said, “In a few days I”ll be a frog to play with you!” He stuffed the egg in a series of zippers and manipulated the tadpole’s mouth and said, “Why are you hiding in the cave? I thought we were supposed to hide in the sunlight?” Next the tadpole was zipped up and out came the frog for a game of hide and seek. So cute to see his little operator opening and closing his mouth and counting to 10! Puppets come alive as kids become the story tellers and drive the plot, feeding off each other’s dialogue and manipulating the puppets. Puppets inspire kids both shy and outgoing to talk “for” their animal, learning to build a story, enhancing reading and writing skills.

Available at Folkmanis. Click here