Wexford Libraries: Bringing Rhymes to Life with Puppets
Wexford Libraries have been consistent customers of our Nursery Rhymes Finger Puppets and Humpty Dumpty Soft Toy, originally purchased through Mimitoys and used in their popular weekly Rhymetime sessions.
These sessions bring babies, parents and carers together through music, movement, familiar rhymes and social interaction. I am always delighted to see puppets being used in ways that support early language development, encourage participation and add a little extra magic to shared learning experiences.
What Is Rhymetime?
Theresa Kelly, Librarian for Children and Young People’s Services at Wexford Library Management Services, explains:
“We started weekly Rhymetime sessions in our libraries in 2017 to support parents and carers with babies, from birth to approximately 18 months. We started with very small numbers, but they’ve grown a lot and it’s very popular now, with large numbers attending in our five library branches.”
Each session lasts approximately 30 minutes and begins with an interactive welcome song:
“We clap and say hello, we clap and say hello, with all our friends at Rhymetime we clap and say hello…”
Parents and carers sit with their babies on their laps, positioned so that the children can see and respond to the other babies in the group. The session then moves through a mix of traditional and modern rhymes, using actions, repetition and movement to encourage engagement.
Supporting Early Language Development
Rhymetime is great fun, but it also provides valuable opportunities for early learning and connection.
Theresa shares:
“Rhymes are brilliant for early speech and language development, concentration, and such good fun too with all the actions.”
The repetition, rhythm and predictable language found in nursery rhymes can help babies become familiar with the sounds and patterns of speech. Actions and movement also give children another way to participate before they are able to use words themselves.
The social element is equally important. Parents and carers are encouraged to stay, chat and connect after each session. Families can then continue using the songs, rhymes and actions at home, extending the learning beyond the library.
The Role of Puppets and Props
Visual and tactile props help bring the rhymes to life and give babies something colourful and engaging to focus on.
Theresa explains:
“Having props like your lovely puppets, Myriam, really helps to engage the babies visually, adds to the enjoyment, and helps to keep their attention focused.”
Finger puppets and soft toys can be introduced alongside familiar songs and characters, helping to make each rhyme more memorable. They also encourage visual tracking, attention, anticipation and shared interaction between babies and their parents or carers.
For the adults leading the sessions, puppets offer a simple and playful way to introduce characters, repeat key words and encourage children to join in through movement, sound and expression.
Kind Words from Wexford Libraries
Theresa also shared this lovely feedback:
“I’ve told friends and colleagues about your website and that you offer both a wonderful selection of toys and resources and excellent customer service.”
Feedback like this means a great deal to me. It is especially rewarding to know that puppets supplied by my business are being used regularly to support early communication, shared enjoyment and meaningful connection.
Puppets in Practice
Wexford Libraries’ Rhymetime programme is a wonderful example of how puppets can support language and communication in an early-years setting.
The puppets are not used as a stand-alone activity. They form part of a warm, interactive experience combining rhyme, repetition, music, movement and social connection. This helps babies remain engaged while also giving parents and carers practical ideas they can continue using at home.
At Puppets Ireland, I hope to continue sharing real examples like this to show how puppets are being used by libraries, teachers, therapists and early-years professionals across Ireland.
Puppets Used by Wexford Libraries
Find a Rhymetime Session
To learn more about Rhymetime and other family events, please contact your local Wexford library branch or visit the Wexford Libraries website.
The puppets featured in this case study were originally supplied through Mimitoys, our sister website and the predecessor to Puppets Ireland.
Myriam Doyle
My name is Myriam and I have created Puppets Ireland. Puppets Ireland is an Irish specialist supplier of quality puppets for teachers, therapists, libraries, early-years professionals and families. Alongside a carefully curated puppet collection, I share practical ideas, real-life case studies and free resources to inspire learning, communication, emotional expression and imaginative play.