Puppets Part 1

Puppets are still a very useful and well-recieved tool for children's ministries... if you do them well.  Here's step 1 for the beginning puppeteer, caring for the tools of the trade.  It's hard for kids to take a puppet seriously when it looks like it's been crushed in a storage room since the '70s.

Dos And Don’ts Of Puppet Care

1. Overall, you should respect the puppets.  They are our ministry tools and cost hundreds of dollars to replace.
2. Pick up and carry puppets by the body or the neck.  Avoid grabbing the head.
3. When putting on a puppet always pull it on from the body.  Never push it onto your hand by pushing the face.
4. Don’t touch the face of the puppets.  Oils from your hands stain the face and grasping the head or face may cause damage.
5. Puppets never bite!  It destroys the mouth.
6. When changing clothes, the clothes go on and off over the soft body, never over the head.
7. Never lay puppets face down.
8. Avoid showing kids “dead” puppets.  Keep them hidden from view when not being used.
9. Carefully put puppets away in their designated areas.