Puppet facts for kids
Puppets are objects used in theatrical performances. They are similar to dolls. They often use strings or other means to make the puppet move and look alive. Some puppets are very simple, but others are more complicated and need skill to use. The person who works the puppet and makes it move is called a puppeteer. The audience cannot usually see this person but some, like a ventriloquist and dummy, are in full view of the audience. There are many different types of puppets to be found around the world. Puppetry is a special art form that is very important in some cultures.
Types of puppets
Finger Puppet: A very simple type of puppet where the puppet is placed on a finger and worked by moving the finger.
Sock puppet: A sock or similar garment worn as a glove, with the thumb acting as a jaw.
Hand Puppet: Similar to a finger puppet, but larger. The puppeteer uses his or her fingers and hand to work the puppet. Punch and Judy are famous glove puppets.
Pop-up puppets: A cone with a rod through and a puppet inside. When the rod is pushed up, the puppet appears.
Paddle Puppet: The puppet is on the end of a paddle. When the puppeteer steps on the paddles back end the other end lifts up, making it seem that the puppet moves by itself.
Jumping Jack: A puppet where the arms and legs of the puppet are joined to a string. When the string is pulled down, the arms and legs go up.
Rod Puppet and Bunraku: The puppet is worked with rods joined to the puppets arms and legs, while another puppeteer moves the head and sometimes the mouth. Bunraku is a special type of Japanese rod puppetry.
Shadow Puppet: Another very simple puppet. A cut out figure on a rod is held in front of a light. Its shadow is projected onto a screen. The puppeteer moves the puppet around, giving it some life. Sometimes coloured paper is used to give a certain amount of colour to the puppet.
Marionette or String Puppet: This puppet is moved around with strings that hang from above the theatre. This is one of the more complex types of puppetry and is hard to master as some marionettes can have up to thirty strings.
Ventriloquist Figure or Dummy: This puppet is one of the few where the audience sees the puppeteer. The puppeteer moves the puppets head arms and mouth with his hands as well as with levers. The performance usually takes the shape of a conversation between the dummy and the puppeteer. The puppeteer speaks normally, then puts on a different voice when the puppet is supposed to be talking. His voice seems to be coming from his stomach (Latin: "venter"). His lips are not moving, but the puppet's lips may move, so it seems as if the puppet is talking.
Ticklebug: A type of Hand Puppet; a person uses their fingers as body parts to look like their hand is an animal. The center finger becomes the animal's head, the first and third fingers become the front legs, and the thumb and last finger are used as back legs.
Images for kids
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Traditional hand puppets
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Ancient Greek terracotta puppet dolls, 5th/4th century BC, National Archaeological Museum, Athens
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Medieval knight puppets do battle in the Hortus deliciarum. Each puppet is manipulated by both puppeteers.
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A black light puppet
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The Little Girl Giant Puppet in Sri Lanka was a novel initiative to educate on female empowerment.
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Object Puppet of Nikolai Zykov Theatre, Russia.
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Sock puppet from the Web series Totally Socks
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Vietnamese water puppets
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Carnival Puppet featuring two puppeteers - Minneapolis, USA: May Day Parade
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Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez - human carnival puppet
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Woman carrying body puppet of George Burns at 1988 Academy Awards
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Finger puppets
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Finger puppets
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British traditional hand or glove puppets, Punch and Judy
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Simple sock puppets
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Hand or glove puppet dog
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A bespoke hand puppet and Christmas gift
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"Briegel der Busch" puppet and puppeteer Jan Mixsa, autographing at "Erstes Fantreffen von Bernd das Brot"
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"Chili das Schaf" puppet and creators Tommy Krappweis and Erik Haffner, taken at "Erstes Fantreffen von Bernd das Brot"
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Oscar the Grouch and puppeteer Caroll Spinney
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A puppeteer manipulating a marionette
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Marionettes from the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre, New York, USA production of "Cinderella Samba"
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A puppeteer manipulating a marionette in Prague, Czech Republic
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Puppeteer performing in New Orleans, Louisiana
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"The Giglet Sisters" posed on puppet theatre stage
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"Uncle Rastus" an elderly man playing a banjo
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"Mrs Garbage" and "Mrs Guppy", charwomen
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Calabash puppet
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Howdy Doody a popular marionette character
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Preparing a rod puppet for a performance of Town Musicians of Bremen, Sibiu, Romania, 2002.
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Rod puppets from the Horse and Bamboo Theatre production 'Harvest of Ghosts' 1997
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Rod puppet "Bleeckie", meeting an owl, 2011.
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Shadow Puppets, Jakarta, Indonesia
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Edgar Bergen, seen with Charlie McCarthy, is one of America's best known puppeteers.
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Ventriloquist Ramdas Padhye has been performing in India for over 40 years.
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After popular American performer Shari Lewis died, daughter Mallory continued performing Lamb Chop.
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German Jörg Jará's puppet, Olga.
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British Nina Conti with Monkey in 2010
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