The Greatest Show on Earth

Toddlers love stories, and they love make-believe; encourage them to combine the two by putting on a show for you! Ask them to choose their favorite story book and then talk with them about who the characters are. Make up some simple puppets to represent the characters and go through the story with your kids. You can make simple puppets really easily out of things you'll have in the house, here are some examples:

• Sock puppets: put your hand into a sock, stick on eyes and other features
• Spoon character: paint a face on a wooden spoon, add wool for hair and tie a ribbon round the 'neck'
• Paper bag puppet: create a face on a paper bag and put your hand inside
• Stick puppet: draw a face on a piece of paper or a paper plate, and attach it to a stick

Children have such great imagination that you don't need a theater or anything, but if you're feeling really creative, why not contruct them a theater too from some boxes, sheets, furniture or anything else you have in the house?!