Re-purposing items from around your home is a great way to encourage children to be creative. A large cardboard box for example can be re-purposed into a homemade puppet theatre! Creativity through dramatic play allows children to express themselves and work on communication skills.

With Earth Day being tomorrow, April 22^nd, reusing items is also a great lead into talking with your child about the importance of recycling, re-using and reducing, as well as other ways we can all lessen our impact on the environment.

Developing communication and storytelling skills through puppets.

What you will need:

• Cardboard box and scissors or an X-Acto knife.
• Puppets (you can use stuffed animals, action figures, or create your own using items found around your home such as popsicle sticks, paper, small pieces of cardboard, crayons, etc.).
• A place to set up your puppet theatre, such as on a bench, a table, or two chairs.

Process:

• Adults should help young children cut out the back panel of the cardboard box using    scissors, or an X-Acto knife. This acts as the window for the puppets.
• Set the cardboard box theatre on a table, bench, or two chairs in such a way that children can move behind it to perform their show.
• Add a blanket or sheet beneath the box so that children and puppets are hidden from their audience (optional).
• Use toys and/or stuffed animals, or handmade puppets you have created at home to act out your show!

Tip: Have your child recreate their favourite story (ie: Goldie Locks and the Three Bears, Little Red Riding Hood), or have them create their own, unique story using their imaginations!

Three bears and three bowls of porridge! 

Watch out Little Red Riding Hood! That's not Granny!