The Artfelt Puppet System
Recipe
A dash of hobby
A pound of study
A smidgen of poet
A heart full of love for children
A gallon of luck
Add this to a bowl full of passion
Stir all together
Pour into a bottomless pan of determination rubbed with a whole lot
of elbow grease.
Put this into the think tank for a long baking
period and out the other end comes an idea, a puppet, a rhyme, a
reason to bring a smile, a giggle, some laughter, some joy, some
thoughts . . . something to share.
Sharing
Who am I?
Hands
and Fingers Use
Felt Board Use
Bulletin Board Use
Pocket Chart Use
Pointer Use
Use with books, rhymes, stories and songs
Dedication
Sharing is a large part of the Artfelt Puppet
System! From the beginning, teachers have stood in my booth at educational
conferences, reciting rhymes, sharing favorite books and
stories, networking with each other and me as they gather the
puppets they want to take back to their classrooms to "bring to
life" what they know as "their children’s
favorites." If they can’t find what they want, they put a bug
in my ear. I take their names and promise them the first pieces off
the production line in exchange for their potential
"commercial" idea. Needless to say, this tradition
continues as there is nothing better than a story, rhyme or idea
that has stood the test of time in the classroom.
At this time I feel I should
introduce myself. I’m Judy Woodworth, the developer and owner of
The Artfelt Puppet System. I refer to it as a system because a system is defined as a group of interacting, interrelated or interdependent
elements forming a whole. The puppets, combined with books, rhymes,
songs and stories in conjunction with felt boards, pocket charts,
bulletin boards, pointers and other props create a dynamic set of
exciting educational tools to enhance the learning experience across
the curriculum for both students and teachers.
Hands
and Fingers Use. Artfelt FINGER PUPPETS average 3" X
4" in size. Use one finger for a Big Hand. Use two fingers for
a Little Hand. Many times tongue depressors make perfect
helpers to bring characters in and out of a story quickly or to
facilitate use by small children.* Most Artfelt Hand Puppets come in
two sizes. BIG HANDS PUPPETS are approximately for 6 year to adult
size hands. LITTLE HANDS PUPPETS are approximately for 2 year to 6
year size hands.
*Artfelt puppets are designed to be teaching aids. Children 3
years and under should never be left unattended with them. However,
for children 3 years and older, Artfelt puppets are terrific for
interactive use and use alone in centers.
Felt Board Use. Because of the high wool content
of the felt we use, the puppets have a strong cling quality that
will give you hands free options when reading a book. Felt boards
facilitate interactive activities with your students. The unique
free standing design of Artfelt felt boards make them "puppet
theaters" also.
Bulletin Board Use. Felt is a very forgiving fabric
and a push pin will not undo the integrity of your puppets. They add
depth, character, color and drama to any bulletin board display!
Pocket Chart Use. While tucking some tails behind,
Artfelt finger puppets fit perfectly into pocket charts creating a
visual word/object correlation.
Pointer Use. Put a pencil-tip eraser on the
end of a length of dowel and your finger puppet will stay giving you
a delightful theme driven, eye-catching pointer!
Use with books, stories,
rhymes, and songs. Whether
just using a theme puppet or the full cast of characters, puppets
make the ordinary, extraordinary! They bring magic and drama to
story time, circle time, reading, and writing.
Please Note: The free
rhymes are linked with the associated puppets.
On this website, we have included sharing with
you many rhymes and stories that I have collected over the years.
Most are from the common domain; some come with permission** from
generous authors; some I have written. I love when I come upon an
appropriate rhyme from one of our great American poets. Please feel
free to e-mail me with rhymes that you use and don’t see here. You
know the ones I mean; the ones your students just love to do over
and over!
**To those authors who might see their rhyme on
this site without due credit, please e-mail me, as your identity has
been lost over the years of being passed and shared and no copyright
infringement has been deliberate.
DEDICATION
I dedicate this site to teachers around the world!
Working closely with you has given me a window
into your hearts full of a shared love for teaching and children.
Your vast patience, your depth of caring, your generosity, your
unbending determination, and your sense of service and
responsibility to your profession often leaves me breathless.
I hope you have enjoyed your visit to these
heartfelt Artfelt pages.
Come back often!
E-mail me at judy@artfelt.net |
