A fun kid reading activity includes acting out your story as it’s read. Puppets are a wonderful way for kids to learn to enjoy books and reading. Just about every story and book can be used with puppets.
Books such as If You Gave a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff, Little Red Hen by Paul Galdone, Curious George by H.A. Rey are great stories to use. Other classics such as Aesop’s Fables, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, and The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum are also fun to read and act out. The local library has an unlimited supply of children’s books and stories to pick from. Bring several choices of books to the kids, and let them vote on their favorite book to use.
If you have a large group of kids, break up into smaller groups and select different books to read. Another idea is to create a "Puppet Club" and have kids sign up to participate. The "Puppet Club" can be offered in sessions throughout the year so everyone has a chance to join.
Once a book is selected, read the story first. After you read the story, talk about the characters in the book, discuss the plot, and message or moral of the story. Have the kids decide which character they would like to use to make a puppet. Another idea is to put the characters on a slip of paper, place characters in a hat or bag, and let the kids pick a character.
Paper bag puppets are easy and inexpensive to make. Provide white or brown paper bags, assorted paper such as construction, wrapping, tissue and crepe, scissors, glue and markers. Used socks, garden gloves, and spoons also work great for puppets. If you have lots of time, create papiermache’ marionettes. A cardboard box, paint and fabric make a wonderful puppet stage.
After each group makes their puppets, they can read and act out their story to the rest of the children. Puppets create a fun kid reading activity. This is an activity that kids will want to do over and over again!
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