Hello dear reader and happy Autumn 2026. Today I’m jumping on with a coloring page to complement your Mr. Quigley’s Keys read-aloud. Click {here} for a freebie download, created over at Colorin.ai just for you.
In my encore career, I get all sorts of fun invitations, to come lead PD, to do an author visit either in person or via Zoom, to put together a parenting workshop. But I’ve never had an invitation to come and do a puppeteering visit. Until now.
My reflections after the session prompted the creation of this infographic.
Mrs. Quigley, whose classroom was across the hall from me for the fourteen years I was at Westwood, texted a month or so ago to ask if I could come back to Westwood, where my puppeteering journey began, to talk with her students about being a puppet master. And, of course, my answer is always a resounding “Of course!”
When I dug a little deeper to see what this assignment might entail, it turns out that her school is piloting the Colt Academy, to offer an 8-week elective class to its first and second graders. It’s a brilliant gift they’re giving to their young learners, the opportunity to pick something they’re interested in, like Butterfly Gardening, Coding, Line Dancing, Puppeteering, etc., to learn more about it. Every Friday morning for 45 minutes. 💜
So I gathered up the puppets that are still in my arsenal, printed a picture to share with them where my 25-year journey with puppets began, and headed to Westwood to play.
One astute young man told me I sure do look young in that picture. Duly noted and he’s not wrong, because a quarter of a century has gone by since I first arrived at Westwood and found Seymour, the baby harp seal puppet, waiting for me.
We talked about how to give our puppets a name, a personality and a problem to solve, we discussed voices, body language, and props, and we laughed through the six demos that I gave using my different puppet friends.
When I got to this cute ostrich puppet that I bought but hadn’t used yet, I asked them what her issue could be. One of the students figured she might be anxious because she’s at the beach (their classroom decor) and she’s not a beach bird. How cool is that?
During their Lights, Camera, Action class, these aspiring puppeteers will write scripts, make a sock puppet of their own, and then give a puppet show for their classmates to enjoy. Isn’t that such an engaging and inspiring way for them to learn?
I’m so grateful for this incredible invitation, because puppets give me joy that fuels my desire to pay it forward and help others feel that passion, energy, magic, and love.
How do you use puppets in your practice?
