How to Use Puppets in Elementary Counseling

Make a puppet the representative of the problem.

Employ puppets in elementary counseling to help the child externalize the problem, viewing it as something separate from himself in narrative therapy. Narrative therapy with puppets enables the child to tell his dominant story while placing a distance between himself and the oppressive feelings associated with the issue. Puppets can be comforting for anxious children as well because the presence of toys increases their familiarity with the situation.

Things You'll Need

• Puppets (three or more, various animals)
• Floor space

Instructions

Introduce Puppet

1. Identify the problem by talking with the student. Choose a comfortable name for the problem, such as "Bug" for pestering others or "Cloud" for sadness.

2. Sit on the floor. Tell the child to choose the puppet that most resembles the problem. Display your selection of puppets and give him time to examine them and make a selection.

3. Ask the child to describe the problem and show how it acts with the puppet. Call the puppet by the chosen name and ask what it does to him.

4. Inquire how the child feels when the puppet does this and how it affects his class or family.

5. Send the puppet home with the child if possible and ask him to talk to it during the week about how what it does affects his life. He should bring the puppet back to his next session to talk about how the problem has been acting.

Tips & Warnings

• This activity allows objectification of the problem, so be sure to remind the child not to harm the puppet but to talk to it sternly instead.

References

• Journal of Mental Health Therapy: Using Puppets with Children in Narrative Therapy