Puppets can be fun, intriguing, exciting, and can be part of different activities by all the family for many years. They can stimulate your baby's senses through observation, interaction and exploration.
Benefits of puppet play with babies;
Refine motor skills
Puppets can be used with young babies to encourage them to track movement, reach out, touch and explore. Once able, a child can hold the puppet, wear it on their hand and create movements, manipulating the puppet as part of their play and build on their hand eye coordination skills.
Social & emotional development
When babies and children explore puppets it will encourage engagement and interaction between the baby and their parent. As well as bonding, building relationships and resilience. Eventually the baby will use the puppet with other familiar people to socialise. Explore different emotions; happy, sad, grumpy, cheeky, funny etc...
Language and communication
Research suggests puppets will entice a young baby to listen, focus and engage. Giving them the opportunity to Listen to language from their caregiver via the puppet. You may notice your baby responding. Starting with facial expressions, coos, sounds and gestures before saying words and eventually chatting away.
Listening and attention skills
Watch how your baby stops, gaining their attention and listening to language, songs and engaging in imaginative play. Puppets can be used for many activities including; stories, rhyme time, bath experience, symbolic play, peek a boo games and so much more.
Inspire imagination and creativity
Sing songs, tell stories and make up tales, these can all broaden a baby's creative thinking. It will encourage them to use their imagination, eventually the baby using the puppet themselves in their own play.
What is the correct age to introduce puppet play?
From birth. Exploring puppets with a new-born will encourage them to focus, stimulating their optic nerves. Put the puppet on your hand and place directly in their vision line, move the puppet slowly, talk and sing songs. Watch your baby focus and track the puppet. Doing this will encourage strengthening their neck muscles as they move from side to side. Is your baby mimicking your actions, sounds and showing excitement? Your baby will begin to reach out, touch, hold, mouth and explore the puppet independently, developing their motor skills and holistic development.
Hand puppets are perfect for tummy time activities to entertain your little one whilst they build those important core muscles. 
In our 0-3 month My Sensory Journey Subscription Box, we provide a puppet to explore. The colour will be black, white or grey to support a young babies emerging eye sight. All resources are age and stage appropriate. All boxes come with downloadable sensory play guides to support families. Boxes are delivered every 3 months. This box can be bought individually. 
So basically puppets are a sustainable resource to have in the home for the whole family to enjoy.
Why not make your own hand puppet?
If you are not feeling creative, we sell a range of hand puppets & Traditional Story Puppet Sets to purchase from our online shop.
Tag us in some of your pictures or stories of your baby enjoying puppet play on our Facebook or Instagram page.