The Puppet With Colored Strings

In pairs, one child is a puppet with red yarn on the wrist and ankle of one side and blue yarn on the other; the puppeteer pulls imaginary strings of one color and the puppet moves that side. It works on telling the two sides of the body apart and listening to a partner.

How to play

1. The teacher helps tie on the yarn: red on the wrist and ankle of one side, blue on the other, whichever the child chooses (2 min).
2. The teacher is the puppeteer for the whole group: "Red hand string!" and the puppets lift that hand (2 min).
3. In pairs, the puppeteer pulls an imaginary string and the puppet moves the hand or foot of that color (3 min).
4. Switch roles (3 min).
5. The strings are cut: the puppets flop softly to the floor, one side and then the other (1 min).
6. Take off the yarn and put it in the string box (1 min).

Rules

• The puppet only moves when its string is pulled.
• The puppeteer pulls slowly, without touching the puppet.
• When we're done, we switch roles.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: strings on the wrists only; the puppet moves arms and head.
• Hearing loss: the puppeteer points to the yarn that should move.
• Autism: the puppet can be the teacher or a stuffed animal the child moves as the puppeteer.

Learning goals

• Tell the two sides of the body apart with color cues.
• Move one body part while keeping the rest still.
• Listen to and respect a partner.

Equipment for a class of 25

• red yarn bracelets: 50
• blue yarn bracelets: 50

Teacher tip

Tie the yarn loosely on wrists and ankles only, never around the neck. "Slowly" is the key word: if the puppet jerks around, nobody notices the color.

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