Old McDonald Had a Farm (complete with a lovable donkey)

The Three Little Frogs and the Big Bad Shark

An out-of-work pig seeks employment

Jenna Gilles, youth services librarian in Fall Creek, had an ambitious project last month--a volunteer puppet show! Among other resources, she used the IFLS Puppet Show Kit (complete with a portable stage, many puppets, props and scripts).

She says: "Our Winter Puppet Show was a spectacular hit! Attendance was a bit lower than expected, but every person joined in on songs, dancing, and laughter! A HUGE thanks to all the libraries who loaned puppets, costumes, and props! A HUGE props to our volunteers. We alternated puppet skits with dance and songs with the audience. Our final part of the puppet show was ALL audience participation. Using Jan Brett's The Mitten story creatures on yard sticks and a HUGE sewn felt mitten (all on loan from a local school), the kids got to hide behind the mitten. At the end of the story, they popped out. The adults got a huge kick out of that."

If she had it to do again, Jenna would have the puppet show in February, allowing more time for practice. She offered the show at two different times, and if she had it to do again, she'd only offer one show, since it is hard to get volunteers to commit to several days.

IFLS Librarians: if you want to borrow the Puppet Show Kit, contact Leah at langby @ ifls.lib.wi.us.

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