Puppetry in Early Childhood

“Puppetry is the remedy to the ravages of civilisation” Rudolf Steiner.

Puppetry and storytelling using props and puppets has brought great joy over the centuries for people from all walks of life and cultural backgrounds, it has been and still is enjoyed by everyone, young and old, rich or poor. Puppets over the centuries have passed down great legends and stories, brought laughter and joy to others. The healing power of puppets and storytelling is something which nourishes the child. The puppet becomes an extension of the child’s inner soul, through puppetry and play therapy children can play through their inner most feelings, feelings and thoughts which may be buried deep within. It’s no surprise then the importance puppetry has in Waldorf Education...it is a cornerstone of Oral Storytelling in early childhood.

I have wanted to much to create a little ‘theatre’ with which I can set up for puppet shows at home, to tell stories from my monthly guides as well as other well know classics. An intentional space, and intentional prop - which when the little one sees knows a show is coming..and when she engages in play there may work through the story and props we use in her own way. So the past few days I worked on creating a little theatre made from the left over MDF we’ve had in the shed from our living room shelving.

And here it is. A lovely little stand perfect for storytelling and play. Simply three pieces of wood which I then painter white, fixed together with a piano hinge and coloured using chalk and a damp cloth to create a lazure effect. I attached a couple of pegs to the back to attach notes and prompts too (as we all need a little prompt sometimes with a new story)

I have a few posts lined up over the next couple of weeks about oral storytelling and puppetry in early childhood, simply follow the hashtag #storytellingwiththewaywewaldorf to follow them all.

For now why not have a go at making an intentional space for some theatre - you don’t have to use wood - you could replace the wood with cardboard, paint and then wash in the same way.

This is my #wednesdaywaldorfwisdom why not see what my friends are posting today