| Puppets really engage and delight
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| | Transform a computer mouse into a snake.
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| children. Watching them is in itself a
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| | The figures do not necessarily need
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| form of art therapy for the audience. In
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| | hands, feet or a body. If you attach
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| some parts of the world performances
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| | weights for example button, beads to a
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| contain a moral message and are watched
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| | piece of cloth it creates the impression
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| with deep reverence. A wonderful
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| | of a body. Take the stuffing out of a
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| illustration of this is Indonesia.There
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| | toy, add a rod and hey presto it becomes
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| puppets continue to be used to re-enact
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| | a puppet!
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| scenes from sacred Hindu scriptures.
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| | Much fun can be had through the
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| Prayers always proceed the start of the
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| | imaginative use of decorative materials
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| performance.
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| | such as ribbons, cloth, sequins and other
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| The Wayang Musuem in Jakarta, Indonesia
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| | sparkling bits and pieces. Shadow puppets
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| perhaps surprisingly has a complete set
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| | can be created just by using your two
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| of British Punch and Judy puppets. They
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| | hands in front of a plain wall. They can
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| were apparently donated to the museum by
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| | also easily be made by cutting shapes out
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| a British Ambassador who used to
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| | of plastic, acetate or cellophane and
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| personally give performances to invited
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| | decorating them with such things as sweet
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| guests in the embassy.
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| | wrappers, sequins etc. Drawings can
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| The Cadiz area in Andalucia, Spain also
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| | easily and cheaply be photo-copied onto
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| still has a lively marionette tradition.
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| | acetate. Attach these cut out shapes to
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| In Munich, Germany puppets perform
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| | rods. Keep everything bold and simple.
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| classical opera.
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| | When animating a puppet concentrated
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| Puppets are always moved by human and not
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| | focus is called for. When operating a
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| mechanical means.These movable figures
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| | glove puppet the first finger goes into
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| come in many shapes and sizes. There are
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| | the puppet's head, the second and third
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| marionettes, glove, rod, finger and
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| | fingers are held down as arms. You need
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| shadow puppets to mention a few. They are
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| | to work with your arms stretched out.
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| all operated differently.
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| | Make the figure come alive by moving your
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| If you have not already done so how about
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| | shoulders and elbows not by turning your
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| exploring using puppets at home with the
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| | wrists.
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| kids. The aim of my suggestion is not
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| | Operating marionettes requires long
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| first and foremost educational but
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| | practise and great skill and may be
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| therapeutic. The aim is to work at
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| | beyond most of us.
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| achieving greater harmony between
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| | Thinking up your own stories, perhaps
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| Mind-Body-and-Spirit. Of course, the
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| | incorporating the child's own ideas or
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| activity does also have an educational
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| | using favourite stories or happenings in
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| aspect.
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| | their own life is a great way to create a
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| Children are often fascinated by puppets
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| | play for the puppet performance. Fairy
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| and interact strongly with them which can
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| | stories work well. The underlying mood of
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| lead to an overcoming of shyness and fear
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| | the story can be dramatic, comic or sad
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| and greater use of speech. The
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| | and must be very visual and tactile. The
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| interaction also encourages concentration
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| | play could even be based around a song.
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| and use of the imagination. Psychologists
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| | You do not always need a story. Your
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| use puppets to help traumatized and
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| | child may happily ad-lib and you can make
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| abused children to express their
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| | up the text as you go along.
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| feelings.
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| | Music and sound will add atmosphere to
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| Parents, I hope, will try to use this
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| | the presentation. You can make sound with
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| activity to reach deeper, unspoken levels
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| | all kinds of objects. Saucepans, spoons,
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| in their relationships with their
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| | cups, dried seeds can all be used and are
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| offspring. Sessions can become a form of
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| | easy to find. Effective shakers can be
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| deeply loving and healing communication,.
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| | made by filling plastic bottles with
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| Parents need to let their child play a
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| | seeds, ridged surfaces on plastic bottles
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| dominant role if they want to. Both have
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| | can produce scraped sounds. Large tins
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| to deepen their understanding of leading
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| | function as drums. The human voice is
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| and following, giving and taking.
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| | capable of humming, whistling, chanting
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| The making and operating of puppets can
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| | as well as singing actual words.
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| be a form of serious, carefully
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| | Random clapping produces a very effective
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| thought-out or joyfully spontaneous
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| | rain storm. First using one finger, then
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| activity. Spontaneity can be very
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| | two, then three, then finally the whole
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| important as it avoids the planned
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| | hand. Remember that sound can become
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| lesson-like feeling that is often
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| | louder, quieter, slower, faster all
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| associated with school.
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| | adding a different atmosphere.
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| It is possible to buy beautiful puppets
| |
| | A theatre or stage is not strictly
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| in every form imaginable. If your child
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| | speaking necessary. There are many ways
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| really enjoys this activity it might be
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| | of creating a theatre. For glove puppets
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| worth buying a few of the sort that you
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| | working above a sheet suspended between
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| cannot make yourself. A lot of fun can be
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| | two chairs is probably the simplest.
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| had just using things that are to hand.
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| | An overhead projector allows the shadow
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| Paper bags, paper cups and plates,
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| | puppets to appear larger than they
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| plastic bottles, a sock, a pillow case
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| | actually are. Anything written on an
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| with a ball tied into one end as a head,
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| | overhead projector presents writing in
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| ice lolly sticks with small pictures
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| | readable form and does away with the need
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| portraying whatever you like attached at
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| | to write backwards. A white sheet lit
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| one end, a block of foam, a scrubbing
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| | from behind forms a screen for shadow
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| brush, a scarf with threads tied to the
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| | puppets.
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| corners to produce an ethereal,
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| | Explore and Experiment with Puppets with
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| ghost-like figure can all be put to
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| | Your Child. It Will be an Adventure for
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| practical use. Even attaching a piece of
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| | Both of You.
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| cloth to a can makes an effective puppet.
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