Puppet Therapy: When a Child Speaks Through a Puppet

What is puppet therapy, and why do children talk more easily through a puppet? How to use puppets at home and in class, with their limits and cautions.

When you ask a five-year-old "What happened at nursery today?", the answer is often short: "Nothing." But when you have a sock puppet you have slipped onto your hand ask the same question, something quite different sometimes happens. The child turns to the puppet and starts telling it things; they may even answer with a puppet of their own, saying "Teddy got really cross today because nobody would play with him." Puppet therapy makes use of exactly this small but powerful shift: when a child finds it hard to say "I", speaking through another character offers them a safe distance. In this article we look at how puppets are used in psychological support, what you can do at home and in the classroom, and which limits you need to keep in mind.

What Is Puppet Therapy?

Puppet therapy is a way of working in which puppets are used to communicate with a child, to help them express their feelings, and to give them space to process what they have been through within play. It is usually thought of not as a separate school of therapy but as a tool used within play therapy and creative approaches. In a playroom, alongside a sand tray, crayons and a doll's house, there may also be a basket of puppets.

Puppets come in many forms: hand puppets, finger puppets, puppets made from socks or paper bags, animal figures, human puppets representing family members, and even a doctor, a police officer, a monster or a magician. The child often decides for themselves which one to choose, and this choice also becomes part of the conversation.

In puppet therapy, the aim is not to say to the child, "Now tell me about your feelings." The aim is to create a setting in which the child can speak at their own pace, in their own language, from within play. In this process the adult is not someone who directs, but someone who accompanies and watches attentively. This is why puppets are less a technique than a bridge built between you and the child.

Why Do Children Speak More Easily Through a Puppet?

Young children find it hard to describe their feelings in words the way adults do. Sentences such as "I'm jealous", "I felt embarrassed" or "I'm scared, but I think they'll be cross if I say so" require a level of abstraction the child has not yet fully reached developmentally. Play, on the other hand, is the child's natural language.

Within this language, a puppet serves several functions:

• It provides distance. Saying "I'm scared" can be hard; saying "The rabbit is really scared" is easier. The feeling is spoken, but it does not stick directly to the child.
• It gives a sense of control. The child moves the puppet; they decide what it says and when it falls silent. On a subject where they feel helpless, this control can be reassuring.
• It reduces shame. Mischief done by the puppet, or an angry word it says, does not seem to belong to the child; this lessens the fear of being judged.
• It allows roles to be tried out. The child can make a fearful character brave, or replay a fight and give it a different ending.

Let us say a four-year-old has been crying frequently since a new baby sibling came home, but says nothing when asked. Her mother picks up a cat puppet and says, "Kitty is a bit sad today; everyone at home is busy with the new kitten." The child jumps in at once: "Kitty wants to be loved too!" This sentence may well be what the child has been unable to say for weeks. The most valuable thing the mother can do at this point is not to turn the sentence straight back onto the child and ask for an explanation, but to reply through the puppet: "Kitty wants to be loved. So how shall we give her a cuddle?" That way the play continues, and the child feels that her feeling has been heard. Moments like this do not happen every day; but when they do, they can mean that a difficult feeling has become shareable for the child for the first time.

When Is Puppet Therapy Used?

Puppet therapy, and puppets and similar play materials in general, may be used in a range of situations by mental health professionals who work with children. For example:

• Life changes such as a new sibling, moving house or starting school
• Anxieties such as separation anxiety, or fear of the dark or of hospitals
• Children who are shy, withdrawn or find it hard to talk
• Parental separation and tension within the family
• Loss and grief
• Preparation for medical procedures such as the dentist, vaccinations or surgery
• Friendship problems, exclusion or fights

One point needs underlining here: puppet therapy should not be presented as a stand-alone treatment method. Puppets are one of the tools used to understand and support a child through a difficulty. Assessment is always carried out from several angles: observation of the child, conversations with the family, information from school and, where needed, other methods are considered together. If you would like to know more broadly how play is used in work with children, you can read our article what is play therapy.

Talking With a Puppet at Home: A Step-by-Step Guide for Parents

To use puppets at home, you do not need to be a therapist or to buy expensive materials. What is described here is not therapy, but play suggestions aimed at strengthening communication with your child.

1. A simple puppet is enough. An old sock, two buttons for eyes and a little wool for hair. Making it together with your child can be the first step of the game. Let them give it a name.
2. Introduce the puppet; don't interrogate. An opening like "Hello, I'm Fluffy. I've just arrived today and I'm feeling a bit shy" is enough. Don't bombard the child with questions straight away.
3. Give the puppet its own feelings. A sentence such as "Fluffy gets a little scared getting on the school bus in the morning" sends the child the message "This feeling can be talked about." Your child may or may not add their own experience to it.
4. Respond to your child's answer; don't correct it. If they say "Fluffy got angry with the lady on the bus", instead of saying "No, she shouldn't get angry", carry on with curiosity: "She got angry. I wonder what happened to make her angry?"
5. Keep it short. Five or ten minutes of play may be enough. When your child gets bored or changes the subject, respect this.
6. Leave the play in the play. Pinning something said by the puppet straight onto the child, for example "So you don't want to get on the bus either, do you?", can break the safe distance. If necessary, you can come back to the subject later, at a calm moment.

Avoid using the puppet as a tool for warnings. Sentences like "Fluffy doesn't like children who don't eat their vegetables" turn the puppet into a disciplinary figure and reduce the child's trust in it. The puppet should remain a friend to whom the child can tell their worries.

For Teachers and Educators: Conversations With Puppets in the Classroom

Puppets are already widely used in preschool and primary classrooms: to tell a story, teach a rule or start the day. These uses also offer opportunities for emotional learning.

• Teaching words for feelings: The question "Why might Bobby the Bear be unhappy today?" makes it easier to name different feelings in class.
• Conflicts in the classroom: A fight can be acted out with two puppets, followed by the question "What do you think they could do now?" This makes room for finding solutions without singling out the children involved in a real fight.
• Preparing for something new: Before a school trip, a vaccination day or an earthquake drill, answering the puppet's questions together with the class can help reduce anxiety.

However, if you notice that a child repeatedly creates violent or age-inappropriate scenes in puppet play, it is more appropriate to share this calmly with the school's guidance service and the family rather than discussing it in class.

A puppet can be a window into a child's world; but the job of the adult looking through that window is not to interpret, but to listen.

Which Puppets Should You Choose? On Materials and Setting

The variety of puppets matters more than their number. To allow the child to represent different feelings, it helps to make room both for soft, cute characters and for characters that look strong, angry or frightening. A basket made up only of cute animals may unintentionally send the child the message "Only nice feelings are played here." A wolf, a dragon or a sulky face shows that anger and fear can enter the game too.

Family puppets are also widely used: mother, father, sibling, grandmother, grandfather. Because many children in Turkey grow up closely involved with their extended family, a grandmother or grandfather puppet may be closer to the child's everyday world. Let your child give the puppets any names they like and arrange the family in their own way; it is enough to watch who stands close to whom without interpreting.

The setting is at least as important as the materials. In a corner where the television is on and siblings keep interrupting, play easily falls apart. Setting aside a short but uninterrupted time a few times a week gives the child a sense that "This time is ours." Leaving your phone in another room is a small but meaningful step.

Finally, consider your own attitude. Many adults feel embarrassed about working a puppet and think they will look silly. Children do not expect you to change your voice or to work the puppet flawlessly; what matters to them is that you genuinely join in the play and listen to them. A slightly clumsy puppet often makes a child laugh more and draws them into the game.

Caution: A Puppet Is Not a Tool for Questioning or Diagnosis

Puppet play can make you think a great deal about a child; but it is not right to draw firm conclusions from a game. In their play, children may mix together things they have seen on television, heard from a friend, imagined or feared. Not everything the puppet says is something that actually happened.

For this reason:

• Do not try to diagnose your child on the basis of puppet play.
• When you suspect something, do not use the puppet to question your child; leading questions can change a child's account and make any later assessment more difficult.
• If you are worried about your child's safety, turn to a child and adolescent mental health professional and, where necessary, the relevant official authorities.
• Do not tell others about your child's puppet play without their permission, or film it and share it. The play belongs to the child.

The same principle applies to children's drawings: a drawing or a game is a tool that opens up conversation with the child; it is not a diagnostic tool in its own right.

When Should You Seek Professional Support? How Are Puppets Used in Therapy?

Puppet play at home can be enjoyable and relaxing for many children. In some situations, however, it is helpful to get a professional opinion:

• If there has been a marked change in your child's behaviour lasting for weeks (sleeplessness, loss of appetite, frequent crying, angry outbursts)
• If they are going back to earlier skills for their age (such as bedwetting)
• If they persistently refuse to go to school or withdraw completely from their friends
• If the same frightening scene is repeated in their play for a long time and in a compulsive way
• If they have experienced a heavy loss, a disaster such as an earthquake, or a shocking event
• If you see self-harming behaviour; if there is immediate danger, call 112 (emergency services)

In a therapy setting, puppets can be one of the tools offered to a child for self-expression in approaches such as child-centred play therapy. The professional watches the child's play attentively, reflects the child's feelings, and accompanies the play without directing it. Regular meetings are also held with the parents, because the family's role in supporting the child is very great. In child and play therapy, tools such as puppets, the sand tray and drawing can be used according to the child's age and needs. For more information about children who struggle to put their feelings into words, you can also read our article on the child who can't express their feelings.

Frequently Asked Questions

What ages is puppet therapy suitable for?

Puppets are used especially often with preschool and primary-school-age children. However, some older children and even teenagers may find working with puppets or figures reassuring when they find it hard to talk about themselves directly. What matters is that the tool suits the child's interests and development.

Can puppet play at home replace therapy?

No. Puppet play at home is a valuable activity that strengthens communication with your child; but it is not therapy. If there is a long-lasting difficulty, or one that affects daily life, a professional assessment is needed.

My child always plays fighting scenes with the puppets. Should I be worried?

Fights, chases and bad characters are a normal part of children's play and often show that the child is safely trying out feelings such as anger, power or fear. However, if these scenes are very intense or compulsive, or appear together with other signs, it would be good to talk to a professional.

Should I work the puppet, or should my child?

Both are possible. At first you can invite your child into the game with a puppet, and then suggest that they choose a puppet too. Over time, giving your child room to lead the play helps them express themselves more freely.

• #puppet therapy
• #play therapy
• #communicating with children
• #expressing emotions

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Eda Erkan Alapala

Klinik Psikolog. İstanbul Kent Üniversitesi Klinik Psikoloji Tezli Yüksek Lisans mezunu; bilişsel davranışçı terapi, çocuk merkezli oyun terapisi ve çocuk-ergen psikoterapisi alanlarında eğitimlerini tamamlamıştır.

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