What is a Puppet?

Puppet
Pull the right strings and find out all about different types of puppets with this
fascinating Teaching Wiki. Includes creative ideas for puppet making.

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'Puppet'

What is a Puppet?
A puppet is a moveable model, animated by the person who controls it using their
hands or strings. Puppets usually take the form of a human, mythical figure or an
animal. They're used in entertainment, most commonly for storytelling. There are
different types of puppets, and they're operated or manipulated in different ways.

A good way to get started with puppet-making is to make stick puppets. Try using these
easy to download and print How to Train Your Dragon Stick Puppets. They're available
in black and white so that your pupils can also colour them in and personalize them.

What is a puppeteer?
The person who manipulates a puppet is called a puppeteer. The puppeteer moves a
hand, arm, rod or string to animate the puppet itself. Depending on the type of puppet,
the puppeteer can control the arms, movement, eyes and mouth to create gestures and
actions.

Usually the puppeteer manipulates the puppet's mouth in time with a spoken part. In
this way puppets are used in dramatic performance. This is a tradition stretching back
to the Ancient Greeks in the 5th century!

What are the different types of puppet?

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 As we'll see, there are different types of puppets. Here's a list of the most commonly
used:

1. Finger Puppets

2. Hand Puppets

3. Glove Puppets

4. Shadow Puppets

5. Rod And Arm Puppets

6. Marionettes

7. Stick Puppets

8. Ventriloquist Puppets

9. Sock Puppets

10. Your Hand (decorated with eyes and clothing).

Puppets can be made from a range of materials in a variety of forms. There are six
different types of puppets which are widely recognized.

Marionettes - full-length figures controlled by strings. The strings are connected to the
limbs of the puppet and manipulated by the person controlling the strings. This type of
puppet originated in the 1800s.

Rod Puppets - marionettes supported by rods. These puppets are controlled from
below, with the rods running from the head, through the body and controlling the
movement of the legs and hands. The rod puppet was developed in the 1930s.

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 Hand Puppets - also known as glove-puppets and worn over the hand. These puppets
are made from cloth and controlled by the hand that fits into it. Fingers fit into the head
and arms of the puppet allowing a person to control its movement.

Flat Figure Puppet - unlike the other puppets, this puppet is two-dimensional. These
types of puppets are operated from above, like marionettes, and originated in England
for use in toy theatres.

Shadow Puppets - these puppets are a type of flat figure puppet where a shadow is
projected onto a screen. Shadow puppets are figures placed between a light and a
screen to create the illusion of moving animals or people.

Bunraku Puppets - puppets where the puppeteers can be seen working them. Bunraku
puppets can be operated by up to three people, with each controlling a different part of
the puppet's body.

Did you know...?

Bunraku is a traditional form of Japanese puppet theatre. It tells a story in dramatic
form through a chant, accompanied by a Japanese lute (samisen). The puppets used
are half-life sized dolls which are manipulated in full view of the audience. It's named
after the 19th century puppet master Uemura Bunrakuken.

Different types of puppets

As we've seen, puppets are traditionally categorized into six major groups. However,
there are lots of different types of puppets within those groupings. Here's a selection of
the more well-known types of puppets:

Ventriloquist's Puppets: Ventriloquism is where a puppeteer creates the illusion that

their voice is coming from a puppet. In the past, ventriloquists used hard wooden
puppets but these days soft puppets are also used. These puppets are operated by a
rod which runs from the back of the head down their bodies. As the puppet is typically
sat on the ventriloquist's knee, the puppeteer is able to place their hand through a hole
in the back of the figure to operate it. The functions can include moving eyebrows,
blinking eyelids and movement of the lower jaw.

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 Marionettes: The puppets have a complete body which is controlled from above by
strings attached to parts of its body. They can be very difficult to control because of
their complexity. Marionettes are doll-like in the way they look, and they can be moved
around as if walking. The feet are often weighted to enable gravity to assist with the
performance! They normally need two hands to be used effectively.

Finger Puppets: These simple puppets are controlled using a single finger. This means
you can have a cast of characters on one hand. They don't normally have moving parts
and the only movement comes from the puppeteer bending their fingers or moving their
hand. Usually the puppeteer moves the finger of the character talking.

We've got some great resources for making simple finger puppets with younger
children. Why not take a look at this The Three Little Pigs Finger Puppets resource
which contains a range of puppets suitable for traditional story-telling?

Rod Puppets: These are a more complex version of a stick puppet (see above). The rod
puppet is supported by rods or sticks which are commonly attached to the body and
hands. The puppeteer is either positioned above or below (depending on the puppet)
and uses the rods to manipulate the body and hands.

Hand Puppets: Also known as a glove puppet, first puppet and Guignol (after a
character in a famous French puppet show), the hand puppet is worn over the hand like
a glove. Usually, the hollow inside the puppet allows for a hand to control the head,
arms and body. It can be made to move by the puppeteer using two fingers inside the
neck and a finger inside each arm. Because it is controlled by one hand only, the
puppeteer has the scope to operate two puppets at once.

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 Shadow Puppets: Shadow puppets are usually created by using strong lighting and
two-dimensional figures to create a projection on a wall or a piece of material. They
often take the form of stick puppets which are shaped into clearly defined outlines to
make silhouettes.

Stick Puppets: A great way to get started with puppet making, stick puppets are
formed from an image which is cut out and stuck to a stick. This simple crafting
activity has huge potential and scope for learning. Just take a look at these
Numberblocks Stick Puppets for a creative way to combine puppet-making with maths!

Different types of puppet manipulation

Before we explore the different types of puppets, it’s worth noting the three positions
from which a puppet can be manipulated/operated. This is because the positioning
varies for different types of puppets:

Below: The puppeteer operates the puppet from above their head. Rod
puppets are controlled in this way.

Above: The puppeteer controls the puppets from over the top of them such
as with marionettes.

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 Behind or Beside: The puppeteer positions themselves at the same height
as the puppet. This is common with Bunraku style puppets.

How can different types of puppets support learning?

Different types of puppets can be incorporated into a range of lessons to help engage
your younger children with learning. Teach children the process of designing and
making a product by engaging them with puppet making. With a range to choose from,
you'll be sure to find a type of puppet suited to your topic, theme, and purpose.

Why not use these easy-to-print, differentiated Shadow Puppet Differentiated Activity
Sheets as a simple way to introduce puppet making before going into a more complex
make?

They require a few simple materials and come complete with a set of instructions. You
could bring a more scientific focus by using them to explain what happens to light
when it hits an opaque surface.

Teaching children about different types of puppet making?

Before you choose a type of puppet to make, decide on a clear purpose and share clear
criteria. Puppet making of any type or difficulty gives your young learners the chance to
use their creativity and imagination. Show your pupils photographs or real examples of
different types of puppets to help inspire them.

Give the children time to talk, draw and research their ideas for creating a puppet.
Maybe they could evaluate different types of puppets and identify the one most
suitable for their project? Encourage your young learners to evaluate the features of
existing types of puppets including examples brought in from home.

For more scientific learning, focus on the materials used in building different types of
puppets. Could pupils compare the qualities of different materials and their properties?
Would particular materials be more suitable than others for making their puppets?
Why?

When they've finished making the puppets, their creations can be put to practical use.
Perhaps the children could create puppets for use as part of a drama performance,
historical re-enactment or a creative storytelling activity?

If bits fall off or don't work properly it's a great opportunity to get pupils to evaluate
what they could to improve them. Does their puppet meet the criteria set out at the
start of the project?

Our lesson packs give you all you need to deliver exciting cross-curricular learning. If
you're puppet making for design and technology, why not take a look at this fantastic
Science: Light: Shadow Theatre Year 6 Lesson Pack 6?

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