Sandy the Clam

This is a super-simple puppet skit using a clam (or scallop) puppet, though just about any puppet you wanted to use would work as well. Reminding children to use inside voices after story time is an important part of socialization and learning. This is intended for a preschool audience.

Puppet:
clam



Props:

Sand bucket

(but you could just use your story time bag)

 

I told children I'd dug up a little sea friend for story time and asked them to guess what it could be. After some good guessing, I introduced Sandy the clam.

 

Keeping my fingers together so that her shell stayed closed, I explained to children that clams dig down into the sand and stay there. They are safest when the water is high. (I didn't get delve into high tide/low tide too much, since this was a preschool audience.) 

 

I wondered aloud how to get her shell open, and tickled her where I thought her chin might be. Sure enough, her shell opened and she laughed. (It was a loud laugh.) Immediately, I clamped her shell shut with the fingers of my other hand.

 

I did this a few times:  removing my fingers, then having Sandy open her shell and laugh--louder each time. Then I explained to children that Sandy had never been out of the water before, that she's never been indoors. So I asked them if they knew the difference between inside and outside voices. They sure did! So we practiced what our inside versus outside voices might sound like, so Sandy could hear and follow our example.

 

After a few tries, she laughed quieter and quieter, until she had the perfect inside voice.

 

I thanked the children for their example, and explained to them that Sandy couldn't help it; she's as happy as a clam!

 

Easy and fun. 



 

 



The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear

I adapted Don and Audrey Wood's classic into a short and simple puppet/flannel board combo. I like to use our mouse glove puppet, since the legs are easily manipulated.

Puppet:
mouse

Props:
a large red strawberry (pre-cut in half) 

strawberry leaves (for easy removal)
a square of dark felt, larger than your strawberry
A pair of those silly nose/mustache glasses with hinges and temples removed; add velcro

Here goes:

Oh, little mouse; whatcha ya doing? (Little mouse points to the strawberry on the flannel board.)
Wow, you found a red ripe strawberry! (Little mouse nods his head.)
Whatcha going to do with strawberry? (Little mouse pretends to pull at the strawberry.)
You're going to pick that red ripe strawberry and take it home? (Little mouse nods and jumps up and down.)
Hmmm . . . little mouse haven't you heard about the big brown bear who lives in these woods? (Little mouse shakes his head.)
Oh, (very dramatically) he's this big--arms up high--he sniffs like this (big bear sniffs), and he is VERY HUNGRY (rub your belly).
Little mouse scurries behind my back and peeks out.
So, little mouse, if you take this strawberry home, the big brown bear will know where you live. AAH!

It won't matter if you to try to hide it (cover strawberry with larger felt piece). Then remove the larger piece.

And it won't matter if you try to disguise it (put the glasses on the strawberry).
That big 'ol hungry brown bear will sniff it right out! (All sniff together.)

Did you hear that? (Pretend to hear something way off in the distance. Ask children if they hear it.)
I think that may be the big brown bear sniffing his way here now!

The best thing to do little mouse, is to cut that red ripe strawberry in two; give half to me and you keep half. (Pull the strawberry in two and remove from board.) Hurry! Let's eat.

(Rub your belly.) That's one less red ripe strawberry that big brown bear will get! Mm-hm.

THE END

Fireworks Jackson

A silly and calming puppet skit. I used this for my preschool group, but there were older siblings in the audience and they enjoyed it just as much.

Puppet:
small monkey hand puppet

No props needed.

I carefully took Fireworks Jackson from my tote bag. Wow, he was very shy! The children were off their feet and crowded around me to get a glimpse of him, so I pretended he whispered in my ear and said he'd be a little less scared if everyone was sitting down.
Once the children were settled back on the story time carpet, Fireworks Jackson whispered in my ear that he was sad because he was going to miss the Fourth of July fireworks--the noise was so loud, it frightened him. I asked the children if any of them were also afraid of the sound of fireworks. (Some were.)

So I told FJ and the children that even if they were anxious about the fireworks, they didn't have to miss them! Instead, I showed them how to make pretend fireworks with our hands.

It's easy!

I've adapted my own version from Billy Jonas' wonderful applause idea, and it brings smiles every time.

First, clap your hands together.
Next, hands together, shoot your pretend fireworks into the air with a whoosh!
Clap your hands above your head!
Now, sprinkle your firework fingers down to your right side, then your left--all the while saying "ooh," 'aah," "pretty colors!" Do this a few times and really play it up! Sometimes, I ask children to call out the colors of their fireworks as they descend; they come up with interesting combinations!

Once we were finished, FJ clapped (he has great little hands for clapping) and jumped up and down on my lap. He was so excited to try pretend fireworks!

Happy Fourth!

A brief video of Billy Jonas' "fireworks" can be seen here: