Ken Goodmiller

Puppets Provide Laughs and Lessons From the Bible Ken Goodmiller

Puppets are a tremendous tool for teaching since, most of the time, kids-and adults-do not realize they are being taught; the thought usually is, "this is great entertainment!" And if you can teach and entertain at the same time, what a great combination! Also, we have all seen puppets made up with special clothing, special hats, and special make-up just as actors wear to portray the characters they represent. And in retrospect, I have used and seen others use all kinds of different settings used for puppet stages. With a little imagination, any situation, any place, can be used as a background and a stage. I have used make-shift stages like: doorways with a blanket across the lower 3-4 feet, a dining room table turned over on its side, a dining room table with a blanket across the front, big boxes individually and big boxes set side by side, a blanket tied between two chairs, and even an "empty" permanent baptismal tank with the puppeteers standing where the water was supposed to be. I have found that "it's not the stage, it's the puppets that attract the people and teach the lessons."