No DEAD Puppets!
RULE number ONE: Never ever leave a puppet in full view of the audience looking ” dead!” If they are to be displayed, that is one thing, but that needs to be done well too. But if they are being used to teach, do not be careless with them and leave them sprawled out somewhere! Respect your tools!
As If we haven’t heard it often enough in the past year, “Wash your hands!!!!!” To preserve your puppet’s life and usage, you need to avoid oils from hands, or worse, from foods.
Limit or eliminate cuddling with unwashed hands!
FEEDING YOUR PUPPET?
Feeding your friends, the puppets, especially the animals, is a big NO-NO! As one of our friendly puppets would say, “Do NOT feed me!”
RULE number TWO: Do NOT feed me! I don’t do well with people food, so please allow me to keep my distance from it! Do not feed me! I have my own resources. I will be fine. Just keep that people food away! Thank you so much! I think I am allergic to chocolate, French fries with ketchup, candy bars, and ice cream.
RULE number THREE: I also react seriously to any kind of grease, whether food or not. So please protect me from that! I will work with you gladly to tell children about the wonders of creation, and the God who made all of it if you will honor my request to protect me from harm.
A Puppet that children can “love, or touch”
Some puppets are of a fabric that you can spot clean, but it is far easier to not need to do that! That said, if you are working with some younger children, find ONE puppet that they can ”love on”, and they are allowed to touch. But if it is made from upholstery fabric or fur, it is not likely to be easy to clean. Think through this, and, if need be, find a stuffed animal to hold that they can touch. Then go with the more expensive puppets for an actual show.
Keep them wanting more from the puppet
Sometimes that means keeping the puppet out of reach! In a weekly performance we used to do, we always had the puppet say goodbye, and it was then placed in a safe place away from little hands. They always wanted Oscar to come out and play, (in front of the stage,) but we did not do that. Keep them wanting more!