Our Values

PUPPETS IRELAND - OUR VALUES

It all started in 2004 with our main website, www.mimitoys.ie. I was never a mum who bought loads of toys from toy stores in Ireland. I always believed that less is more when it comes to buying toys. Children have such an ability to play and learn through play that I really wanted to get toys that would be engaging for them and that would encourage them to use their natural talents, skills, abilities and their senses.

The reason why I have decided to launch a 2nd ecommerce website solely dedicated to selling puppets is to give us a chance to explore and browse a huge range of puppets without being too distracted by other things!
I think it is fair to say that puppets fall in the category of traditional toys as they are probably one of the best toys to bring children’s natural ability to play and use their imagination, creativity and freedom.
Watching children (and adults) play with puppets is fun and entertaining but there is so much more to it!

Puppets have a timeless appeal and come in all size, shape, theme, colour and provide hours of play. I also find that they are a fantastic way to communicate, pass various messages, they can be used for soothing and relaxing moments or for fun exciting times of mad story telling.
The benefits of puppets are huge and that is why I really like them, there is a puppet out there for everybody!

When children play with puppets, they do not realise and sometimes we don’t either, that they develop so many skills, social and emotional, listening, communication, fine and motor, creativity and so much more.

Playing with puppets opens endless possibilities for creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and curiosity.
With puppets there are no boundaries, we don’t really know what we are going to do when we start, with no solution to work out or right or wrong playing with puppets is genuinely up to the imagination…
Puppets can help children learn rhymes and songs as they imitate the puppet too. Repetition is always good to retain vocabulary, learn new words, develop memory…ideal to introduce new languages for example.
While playing and manipulating the puppets, children develop their fine-motor movements and coordination. Some puppets need 2 fingers, others 3, some a full hand and if you have finger puppets it could be the 2 hands! Marionettes and string puppets are great for hand-eye-coordination.
Puppets create interaction, fun dialogue and even an element of surprise with peek-a-boo puppets for example. A favourite for little ones who like surprises!
Children love to have ‘conversations’ with a puppet and a puppet can become a friend or a confident. A fantastic way to encourage verbal interaction. If a child has a puppet in each hand, imagine the dialogue and conversations that can take place!

Puppets can also be use as the voice who talks about manners or good behaviours, without being the parent or teacher. Children will enioy listening to a puppet, all the better if it uses a funny voice. Children are more inclined to listen to a puppet and give their full attention to a puppet talking or telling a story.
Sometimes, children can use a puppet to express their emotion, without feeling too upset or upsetting others.

We need more toys like these that give children freedom and let children be in charge and be the lead.
We need more toys that encourage independent play without instructions.
We need more toys that develop confidence and curiosity, patience and resilience.

Pupppets Ireland – Eco & Ethical Progress:
My growing commitment to the environment makes me think about the processes of an online business all the time, this is why, step by step, we have introduced the following:

all orders are delivered in recycled boxes, except the ones for a puppet theatre for example, that do not need to be boxed as it comes in a sturdy box.
90% of orders are delivered by An Post electric vehicles.
we source all toys from suppliers who are actively sustainable in their manufacture and operations.

My sustained commitment to a more “progressive” value for play means Puppets Ireland selects its toy range to…

focus on screen-free play,
be of such “material” quality that the toy can be handed on to another child
be of such “Play” quality that the toy facilitates the play concept of “Less is More” ie the toy reduces the need for parents to purchase similar type toys.

Please get in touch if you would like to share your thoughts and comments.

Thank you and all the best.

Myriam