incredible years coaching with puppets€¦ · ©the incredible years® using dolls to encourage...

©The Incredible Years®

Incredible Years®

Coaching With Puppets


Coaching with Puppets

Benefits of using puppets to coach children’s social skills

Allows the adult to enter the child’s imaginary world

Children may speak to a puppet more easily than to an adult

Puppet can be a peer in the play (not an adult)

Puppet can model and initiate social interactions

Puppet can model self-regulation skills and emotion language

Adult can control the puppet’s response to the child’s behavior

Puppet can elicit feelings of empathy from child

Puppet can elicit prosocial behaviors from child

Puppet can facilitate peer interactions between two children


Puppets help

children communicate


Modeling Greetings and Introductions

Puppet models greeting:

Puppet: “Hi, I’m Wally, what is your name?”

Puppet models sharing information to get to know child:

Puppet: “I’m 6 years old. How old are you?”

Puppet: “I collect baseball cards? Do you have a collection?”

Puppet models asking to play:

Puppet: “Would you like to go outside and see my tree house?”

Puppet: “Do you want to play Legos with me?”


Model and Prompt

Positive Social Behaviors

Puppet models friendly behaviors (sharing):

Puppet: “I have two dolls, would you like to play with one? I’ll

share with you.”

Puppet prompts child to share:

Puppet: “I’d really like to play with those cars too. Could you

share one with me.”

Puppet models prosocial response:

If child shares, puppet: “That was really generous. Thanks for

sharing.”

If child doesn’t share, puppet: “I’m disappointed,

but I’m going to stay calm and find something

else to play with.”


Alternate between Adult

Voice and Puppet Voice

Puppet: “Hi, I’m Wally, what is your name?”

Adult Prompts Child to Respond

Adult: “Wally’s asking you a friendly question. Can you tell him

your name?”

Puppet: “I collect baseball cards? Do you have a collection?”

Adult Labels Friendly Behavior and Prompts

Adult: ”That was a friendly question, Wally wants to get to know

you. You can tell him about your collections.”

Child: ”Yes, I collect model airplanes.”

Adult: “Can you ask Wally what else he likes to play with?”


Adult Highlights Outcome

of Positive Interaction

Puppet asks child to share:

Puppet: “I’d really like to play with those cars too. Could you

share one with me.”

Child: Shares a car

Puppet: “Thanks for sharing with me!”

Adult: “That was so nice of you to share with Wally.

He looks so happy.”


Introductions with puppets


Emotion Coaching

Puppet labels own emotions:

Puppet: “I’m feeling really proud of my tower.”

Puppet: “I’m frustrated that this won’t stand up, but I’m going to

try again.

Puppet labels child’s emotions:

Puppet: “You look excited about playing with those animals. They

are really cool!”

Puppet: “You are so brave to swing that high. I think that I would

be a little nervous.”


Prompt Child to Notice

Puppet’s Feelings

Adult prompts child to notice puppet’s feelings:

Puppet: “I’m feeling really proud of my tower.”

Adult: “You could give Wally a compliment about his tower. He’s

feeling proud.”

Puppet: “I’m frustrated that this won’t stand up, but I’m going to

try again.

Adult: “Oh, Wally is frustrated with those blocks. Do you think that

you could offer to help him.”


Emotion coaching with

Tiny Turtle Puppet


Puppet Models and Adult Praises

Coping Skills and Emotion Regulation

Puppet models emotion regulation: Child won’t share

Puppet: “I’m disappointed, but I’m going to stay calm and find

something else to play with.”

Adult: “Wally, I’m proud of you for staying calm and waiting. I bet

that Jeremy will share with you when he’d done.”

Puppet: “I’m going to be patient play with this car while I wait.”

Child shares

Puppet: “Thank you! I’m so happy to have

a turn.”

Adult: “Wow! Jeremy shared and

Wally waited!”


Using Puppet to Help

Children Play Together

Puppet can help children notice each other:

Puppet: “Did you see the farm that Sarah is building?”

Puppet can coach prosocial behavior between children:

Puppet: “Sammy is looking for red pieces. I bet we can help him

find some more!”

Puppet can counteract negative behavior from one child:

Child A: Won’t share with Child B

Puppet to Child B: “Hey, I have some extra pieces and I’d be happy

to share with you!”

Puppet can predict positive outcomes:

Puppet: “I bet that if we start building a really good fort, Marie will

come help us.”


Using dolls to encourage

children to play together


Puppet Tips

Be playful and try a silly voice

Any puppet, doll, action figure will work

You do not have to be an expert puppeteer

If you are having fun, the children will respond

Your puppet can express child-like feelings and experiences

Remember the attention principle: ignore negative behavior

and give attention to positive behavior

Do not have your puppet act out negative behavior

Try puppet in different settings: project time, play time,

playground, small group activities at school, choice time

If a child responds negatively, take a break, but try again

later

incredible years coaching with puppets€¦ · ©the incredible years® using dolls to encourage...

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