Puppet hello practice
2–3 yearsEmotional WellbeingMaterials: Two puppets, stuffed animals, or dolls
Use two simple puppets or stuffed animals to practice saying hello and goodbye. Make one puppet wave and say hi to the other. Then let your child make their puppet respond.
Part of the Imprint developmental journey — personalized to your child.
How to Do This Activity
Use two simple puppets or stuffed animals to practice saying hello and goodbye. Make one puppet wave and say hi to the other. Then let your child make their puppet respond.
Act out simple friendly interactions like sharing a pretend toy or helping each other. Keep the scenarios short and positive. This gives your child a safe way to practice social skills through play.
Why It Works
Pretend play lets your child practice social interactions without the pressure of real situations. They can experiment with greetings, sharing, and helping in a low-stakes way.
Symbolic and pretend play is critical for social and emotional development. Children who engage in regular pretend play develop stronger friendship-building skills (Dunn & Cutting, 1999).
Tips for Parents
Use an enthusiastic voice for the puppets to keep your child engaged. Even simple "hellos" become fun with character voices.
Let your child lead sometimes. If they make their puppet do something unexpected, follow along with your puppet.
Practice one interaction at a time. Master waving hello before adding more complex social exchanges.
Materials Needed
Two puppets, stuffed animals, or dolls
Learning Methods
Social Learning Through PeersSymbolic and Pretend PlaySongs, Stories, and Rhymes
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