Storytelling and Literacy
Puppets can turn a familiar story into something children can see, hear and interact with. A character appearing from behind a book, asking a question or getting part of the story wrong can quickly draw children into the experience.
The ideas below offer simple ways to use puppets alongside books, stories and imaginative play to encourage listening, sequencing, vocabulary and a love of storytelling.
1. Bring a Story Character to Life
Suitable for: Preschool and primary
You’ll need: A book and a puppet that represents one of the characters
How it works
Introduce the puppet before you begin reading. The puppet can listen alongside the children, react to what happens or occasionally interrupt with a question.
Afterwards, ask the children what they would like to tell or ask the character.
Supports: listening, comprehension, engagement and conversation.
2. What Happens Next?
Suitable for: Ages 3+
You’ll need: One puppet
How it works
Begin a simple story featuring your puppet and stop at an interesting point.
Ask the children:
- What do you think happens next?
- Where should the puppet go?
- Who might they meet?
- What problem might they have to solve?
There is no need for a correct answer. Let the children shape the direction of the story.
Supports: imagination, prediction, expressive language and storytelling.
3. The Puppet Gets It Wrong
Suitable for: Preschool and early primary
You’ll need: One puppet and a familiar story or rhyme
How it works
Let the puppet deliberately make mistakes while retelling a familiar story.
Perhaps Goldilocks visits three rabbits, Humpty Dumpty sits under a wall or the Big Bad Wolf forgets which house he should visit.
Encourage the children to correct the puppet and explain what really happened.
Supports: recall, sequencing, listening and confident communication.
4. Puppet Story Starter
Suitable for: Ages 4+
You’ll need: One or more puppets
How it works
Introduce a puppet and give the group the beginning of a story:
“This morning, Rabbit found something very strange outside his front door...”
Invite each child to add one idea or sentence to continue the story.
For younger children, offer choices or simple prompts rather than expecting a complete sentence.
Supports: narrative skills, turn-taking, imagination and oral language.
5. Retell the Story
Suitable for: Preschool and primary
You’ll need: Puppets representing characters from a familiar story
How it works
After reading a story together, let the children use the puppets to retell it in their own words.
They do not need to reproduce the story perfectly. Encourage them to remember the important events, decide what the characters might say and work together to put events in order.
Supports: sequencing, comprehension, memory and expressive language.
6. Interview a Character
Suitable for: Ages 5+
You’ll need: One character puppet
How it works
After reading a story, the puppet becomes one of its characters and the children become interviewers.
They might ask:
- Why did you do that?
- How did you feel?
- What would you do differently?
- What happened after the story ended?
Supports: comprehension, questioning, perspective-taking and communication.
More Storytelling Ideas Coming Soon
This page will continue to grow as I gather more ideas from teachers, librarians, early-years professionals and others who use puppets to make stories and literacy activities more engaging.
If you have a favourite way of using puppets for storytelling or literacy that you’d like to share, I’d love to hear from you.