Toddler and Infant Game
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So how much play can you do using a puppet?
As much as your imagination can think of! Here are some toddler and infant game activities that you can do using these animated toys.
Peek-a-boo puppet
Ideal infant game! Choose baby-safe puppets with large eyes (so that your infant can learn how to focus on them and learn eye contact). Go ahead and
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| On days when Faith gets fussy when eating, her Teddy Bear puppet helps me feed her! Find out more puppet activities that you can do with your baby here. |
Hug-a-puppet
Ideal infant game! Babies will love it when they see a soft animal puppet moving gently with the motion of your hand.that can be hugged and loved -- even more than a live pet. What's great about puppets is that they will hug your child back. A great way to encourage showing affection to others.
Singing Puppet
Puppets enhance songs in so many ways! It is also a great way to sing if you are not very confident in singing (go ahead and sing, it will be the puppet who will sing out of tune!) You can act out the song or let your puppet simply dance as the song is being sung.
Bathtime puppet
Rubberducks move over! Using a puppet is a wonderful way to both entertain and clean your child! You know bathtime can be a nightmare, but the having a hand puppet that can act as a towel is perfect for entertaining keeping your child occupied in infant game play -- while getting all washed and clean at the same time.
Foreign Language Puppet
Using a puppet is a creative and interactive way to introduce a second or foreign language to your child. Introduce a puppet who speaks only the second language to your child. For instance you can introduce the puppet to your child and give him a name that is a native name of the second language. Say, if you'd like to teach Spanish, you can call him "Pedro". Tell your child from the start that Pedro speaks Spanish. Let your puppet point to different objects around the home while naming the objects in the second language. After the puppet names the object, you translate it in your first language. You can even let you puppet sing a native nursery rhyme or song to your child.
Travelling Puppet
When travelling, you need to pack toys that will hold your baby's attention the longest. That's why puppets are ideal (make sure you choose a puppet that is compact and handy). Include a hand puppet or finger puppets in your "goody bag" containing a few of your child's favourite toys, plus a couple of new ones.
Mealtime Puppet
Have a fussy eater? Maybe a puppet can help him eat! You can do this by pretending to feed your puppet. After the puppet is fed, you may want your puppet to show that he is enjoying his meal by letting him say "Mmm, yummy!" after every spoonful. Another way is to let the puppet feed your child.
Bedtime puppet
Puppets are great for kids because kids will model them. Pair a puppet with a bedtime book and let the puppet read to your child at bedtime. You can aslo introduce a bedtime puppet that will help tuck in your child in bed and will lay beside him and go to sleep.
Storytime puppet
Having just one puppet and a chosen story or book can create as much drama, excitement and fun as a dozen puppets housed in a complex puppet theater. Choose a story with a character that can be enhanced with puppet action. The classic stories are best such as the Gingerbread man, The 3 Billy Goat Gruffs and Goldilocks and the 3 Bears.
Security/Comfort puppet
Aside from making the puppet animated, they can simply bea security or comfort item for your child. Choose a security puppet that is baby-safe.
Non-thumbsucking puppet
You can use a puppet sock to go over your child's hand as a diversion from his thumbsucking habit. This will help your child look upon this method as a clever and a fun idea rather than any kind of penalty. You should however, assist with putting on the bedtime reminders but not enforce cooperation.