Puppets with Purpose: Unlocking Emotional Vocabulary in Young Learners

By: Krystle Prudhomme, M.Ed.

Doctoral Candidate, Early Childhood Education, Louisiana State University

K-8 Literacy Coach, St. Landry Parish School District

Promoting social-emotional skills in early childhood education is essential for children’s development, and it impacts their social interactions, communication, and conflict resolution skills. One effective way to promote emotional intelligence is using thinking puppets to facilitate discussions about feelings and friendships. In a recent observation of a preschool class, the teacher demonstrated how this approach can improve children’s social-emotional skills while aligning with research-based practices and policy. 

Puppet Characters in Action

Using thinking puppets as a method for emotional expression is supported by research into early childhood development. According to Marion (2019), children benefit from playful, interactive pedagogies that allow them to explore complex emotions and develop problem-solving skills. The Ahlan Sumsim project, which adopts strategies from iconic educational programming (i.e., Sesame Street) to the unique emotional needs of children affected by conflict, illustrates how target interventions like Ms. Issa’s thinking puppets can support social-emotional learning across diverse contexts (Kohn et al., 2020).

During the observation, Ms. Issa introduced three puppets representing various emotions – Joyful Jada, Grumpy George, and Bashful Beyoncé. As the children gathered on the carpet, Ms. Issa read “The Color Monster” by Anna Llenas and used the puppets as dynamic characters to explore emotions like happiness, anger, and fear in the story. The whole group approach not only builds emotional literacy, but it is an effective application of bibliotherapy, providing a safe space for children to discuss feelings and develop empathy.

As the narrative unfolded, Ms. Issa paused to ask the children questions like, “How do you think Joyful Jada feels when she sees her friends?” Through this approach, children had the opportunity to reflect on their own feelings while interacting with the puppets. One child, using Grumpy George, expressed, “I feel grumpy when I have to share my toys,” while another said, “I feel happy when everyone plays with me!” This dialogue allowed the children to articulate their emotions and encouraged peer empathy, deepening their understanding and each other’s experiences. 

Supporting Ms. Issa’s method is research that reinforces the impact of emotional vocabulary development on children’s social competence. According to Marion (2018), children benefit from engaging, playful pedagogies that help them explore complex feelings. Specifically, Marion posits that bibliotherapy allows children to safely process and express their emotions through structured storytelling activities. By allowing children to practice articulating their emotions through puppet discussions, Ms. Issa facilitated a crucial learning opportunity, effectively responded to their emotional needs, and set them up for success in future social interactions. 

Moreover, the concept of playful learning as discussed in the work of Loewenstein et al. (2022) complements the strategies employed in Ms. Issa’s classroom. They emphasize the importance of playful experiences that extend beyond mere engagement into authentic learning. Playful learning, which includes both self-directed and guided activities, can promote rich curricular experiences that are developmentally appropriate. Ms. Issa’s puppet discussions resonate with this notion, showing that purposeful, playful dialogue can serve as a key mechanism for helping children understand and articulate complex emotions, ultimately fostering a more profound learning experience. 

Role-Playing Real-Life Scenarios     

To further enhance the learning experience, Ms. Issa guided the children in role-play situations involving puppets that portrayed realistic scenarios they might encounter. In one role-play, Grumpy George expressed frustration when he could not build a tower, prompting a discussion on what actions the other puppets could take to help him resolve his feelings. One child suggested, “We can help him count to five and take deep breaths!” This moment was an excellent demonstration of children collaborating to find solutions while developing coping strategies. 

In the Pre-K classroom, the puppet strategy not only assists children in identifying and labeling their feelings but also equips them with the vocabulary and social skills necessary for resolving conflicts and nurturing friendships. For instance, through puppet-led discussions, children can practice role-playing scenarios where they navigate feelings of jealousy or sadness, reinforcing conflict resolution strategies such as taking deep breaths, asking for help, and expressing emotions in appropriate ways.

This approach reinforced the Guiding Principles for Improving School Climate and Discipline which emphasizes teaching students to recognize and manage emotions while respecting others’ feelings (Louisiana Department of Education, 2019). For instance, during one discussion, a child practicing with Bashful Beyoncé hesitated before softly admitting feeling nervous about asking for help. In response, classmates offered words of encouragement, such as “You can do it!” and “We’ll help you.” demonstrating their ability to support and validate each other’s emotions. This moment reflected a key principle of Louisiana's Bulletin 137: fostering an inclusive, respectful classroom environment. This practice is critical in creating a positive school climate where students feel validated and understood—a clear aim that Ms. Issa accomplished through her structured puppet interactions.

Unlocking Emotional Vocabulary in Young Learners

As the lesson concluded, Ms. Issa encouraged the children to reflect on their emotional vocabulary by asking them to name feelings they discovered through puppets. Among the responses were “jealous,” “nervous,” and “excited,” demonstrating that the puppet discussions effectively expanded their emotional vocabulary. This key takeaway aligns with the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s mission of promoting high-quality learning experiences for children, where fostering emotional intelligence is a crucial component. 

This lesson aligns well with the guidelines set forth in Louisiana Bulletin 137 (2017), which emphasizes the necessity for early childhood programs to cultivate environments that support children’s social and emotional development. The bulletin elicits programs to implement practices designed to create a nurturing learning atmosphere. Ms. Issa effectively achieved this through her use of puppets. As children role-played with their puppets, they practiced emotional regulation and social skills, illustrating the policy’s directive to support children’s emotional development in early childhood education. 

Conclusion

In summary, expanding children’s social-emotional through puppet discussions is an effective strategy for promoting social-emotional development in early childhood settings. The observations made in Ms. Issa’s Pre-K classroom illustrate how thoughtful, research-based practices can align with state policies like Louisiana Bulletin 137, as well as methods from the work of Lowenstein et.al (2022) and Kohn (2020). By integrating puppets to encourage dialogues about feelings, educators can create safe, nurturing environments that support children’s emotional growth. Puppet-led activities not only provide children with the language to express their feelings, but also foster empathy, problem-solving skills, and healthy peer relationships. Moving forward, educators can expand this approach by introducing a wider range of puppet characters to represent diverse emotions and social situations, ensuring all children see their experiences reflected in the classroom. By employing innovative strategies that incorporate policy implications and research findings, we can ensure that our youngest learners develop the skills needed to navigate their emotions and social relationships successfully.

References

Kohn, S., Foulds, K., Murphy, K. M., &Cole, C. F. (2020). Creating a Sesame Street for the Syrian response region: How media can help address the social and emotional needs of children affected by conflict. Young Children, 75(1), 20-32.

Loewenstein, M., Sturdivant, T. D., & Thompson, J. (2022). Learning through play in teacher education. Young Children, 77(3), 10-20.

Louisiana Department of Education. (2017). Louisiana Bulletin 137 for child care. https://www.louisianabelieves.com/docs/default-source/early-childhood/bulletin-137.pdf

Louisiana Department of Education. (2019). Guiding principles resource guide for improving school climate and discipline.  https://www.louisianabelieves.com/docs/default-source/school-climate-discipline/guiding-principles-resource-guide.pdf

Marion, M. (2019). Guidance of young children. (10th ed.) Pearson Education.

Krystle Prudhomme holds an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, specializing in Early Childhood Education at Louisiana State University. Her current research focuses on promoting emergent writing through culturally responsive practices that honor children’s identities, languages, and lived experiences. She began her career teaching Special Education and Elementary Education (Grades 1–5) and has served as a Master Teacher and Academic Behavior Coordinator in Iberia and Lafayette Parish. Krystle currently serves as a K-8 Literacy Coach for St. Landry Parish and the Student Chair for Louisiana Association for the Education of Young Children (LAAEYC), where she promotes student membership and engagement across early childhood education programs statewide.