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The Best Puppets

Last updated on March 15, 2024

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Old-fashioned toys can’t be beat. Hand puppets, for instance, are wonderful teaching tools that help children with their communication abilities, motor skills, self-confidence and hand-eye coordination. Puppets also fire up the imagination and aid with emotional and social development.

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You’ll find several major styles of puppets available, including finger puppets, mitt puppets and sock puppets. You’ll also find common themes when shopping for puppets, such as animals, popular TV or movie characters and different professions: nurses and teachers, for example, are often represented in puppet form. Puppets are usually made from soft materials like cotton, velour and polyester, with some offering plush, stuffed profiles.

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These educational toys also make terrific gifts. Plus, they’re not usually very expensive and do not require batteries. Puppets are made for different age groups, and most will specify the appropriate age in their product descriptions.

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Some puppets are washable, while others can only be spot cleaned; check the product description for details. You will pay more for licensed characters, but most puppets and puppet sets are less costly than many other toys with more limited uses.

Our Picks For The Top Puppets

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Product Overview
Our Take
 Top Pick

Silly Puppets Lightweight Removable Clothes Tommy Puppet

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Silly Puppets

Lightweight Removable Clothes Tommy Puppet

If you're searching for a beginner-friendly puppet, this cartoon character is the way to go. The puppet reaches 14 inches in height and provides hand entry through the bottom. This allows for better control over the puppet. The puppet is an adorable little boy named Tommy, who has straight brown hair and bright green eyes.

Overall Take

For Children and AdultsThe clothes on this puppet are removable, allowing for additional outfits and accessories as desired.

 Runner Up

Milliard Community Workers 2-Sided Puppets, 4-Pack

Milliard

Community Workers 2-Sided Puppets, 4-Pack

This set includes four puppets, but since they are double-sided, you'll actually get eight different characters. The puppets are designed to teach kids about the community and how each person works together for the good of all. A few of the characters include a nurse, construction worker, police officer and chef.

Overall Take

Budget-Friendly PickThe affordable price tag on this puppet set makes it an excellent gift option.

 We Also Like

Lacroky Foldable The Muppet Show Kermit The Frog Puppet

Lacroky

Foldable The Muppet Show Kermit The Frog Puppet

Everyone loves Kermit the Frog! This flexible and fun character hand puppet looks just like the original Jim Henson creation. He comes with a moveable mouth, measures 23.6 inches and is made from 100% polyester microfiber for easy cleaning.

Overall Take

Familiar, Beloved and GreenYou will definitely want to introduce this huggable and classic “celebrity” puppet to your family!

 Strong Contender

Gund Plush Surface-Washable Elmo Puppet

Gund

Plush Surface-Washable Elmo Puppet

Kids will instantly recognize that this puppet is their beloved Elmo from Sesame Street. The red furry monster is both soft and huggable and perfect for little ones age 1 and up. Kids can imagine they are Elmo and use the puppet to act out scenes from the show.

Overall Take

A Favorite Among Furry MonstersYou'll find this puppet is easy to wipe clean with a wet rang and a drop of a mild detergent.

What to Look For

  • It often makes sense to buy more than one puppet, so the original one will have another “friend” to communicate with. You will find many that are sold in sets, which can be more cost-effective — and fun!
  • Sets of puppets can be easily used to put on home puppet shows, which kids and adults both love.
  • Hand puppets are not just for play. Caregivers use puppets to read stories, and professionals use them in classrooms, daycares, and other settings.
  • Puppets are lightweight and portable and are great to bring along on car trips and vacations and into waiting rooms.

More to Explore

When the TV show “Sesame Street” was testing its concepts with Head Start children, it found that while kids were watching humans, their attention wavered. However, that wasn’t the case with Jim Henson’s Muppets, which transfixed young ones.

Children can really open up to a puppet, sharing information they might not otherwise divulge to an adult. Clever parents and caregivers can use puppets to help their kids in this way, all while encouraging learning and creativity.

Puppets are often used in therapy to help people visualize the thinking process and create an avenue for expression. Because puppets sometimes look human without being human, they can personify and reflect emotions or behaviors in a safe way.

More to explore