So I've been using a lot of props lately in my storytimes and this is one fun example. I guess it's technically a puppet show, but it's more in the vein of Lisa's set up at Thrive After Three: simple, no hiding behind a puppet stage. I will say that it wasn't until I read her post about one-person puppet shows that I felt like it was something I could feasibly do. So if you see this, thanks Lisa! Ok so here's what I did a few weeks ago. I wanted to tell the story Can You Make a Scary Face? which is super interactive already, but I decided to kick it up a notch by adding puppets!
In preparation, I typed out the words of the book so I'd have a script to which to refer during storytime. I did my best to memorize the basic outline, but I wanted the script just in case. Then, I covered the outside of a small book box with a large piece of felt. You could use paper or another type of fabric but I just happened to have felt handy. I used the box to hide the puppets and the script and to act as a basic platform. Now, in the book, the narrator is a ladybug, but I only had a spider so that's what I used. Fortunately, I didn't have to trade the frog in the story for a dinosaur or something.
During storytime, I introduced the story saying that I had a special friend who wanted to talk to them and that they should do whatever he said. The children looked skeptical, but then I pulled out the spider. They were intrigued. Then the spider took over and started ordering them around (Stand up! No I changed my mind! Sit Down!) They needed a reminder to actually do what the crazy spider said, but after that there were lots of giggles as kids and grownups stood up, found a bug on their nose, wiggled it onto their shirts, danced it off, and made scary faces to scare away the the huge frog that showed up. I was actually really surprised at how much they seemed to enjoy it. Success!
Please excuse my lame photo. I forgot to take one before I disassembled my fabric-covered box.
During storytime, I introduced the story saying that I had a special friend who wanted to talk to them and that they should do whatever he said. The children looked skeptical, but then I pulled out the spider. They were intrigued. Then the spider took over and started ordering them around (Stand up! No I changed my mind! Sit Down!) They needed a reminder to actually do what the crazy spider said, but after that there were lots of giggles as kids and grownups stood up, found a bug on their nose, wiggled it onto their shirts, danced it off, and made scary faces to scare away the the huge frog that showed up. I was actually really surprised at how much they seemed to enjoy it. Success!
Please excuse my lame photo. I forgot to take one before I disassembled my fabric-covered box.
If you want more Flannel Friday posts, head over to What Happens in Storytime!
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