Puppet Presentations

Friend 2 Friend Social Learning Society’s Puppet Presentations are a unique and innovative program that provide autism awareness training and peer education for children ages 3 to 9.  Friend 2 Friend presenters use child-size puppets to act out specifically tailored scripts which focus on differences, similarities and friendships for children with ASD and their peers.

The 5 key learning goals of each puppet presentation are to:

• Recognize and accept difference in ourselves and others.
• Recognize individuals with differences/ASD as valuable friends.
• Recognize that it is important to ask questions and express feelings.
• Empathize with what it feels like to have differences/ASD.
• Promote positive relationships with all children.

Our puppet presentations also include our Seven (7) Friendship Tips which help to teach children how to interact successfully with their friends with ASD and related topics such as self-regulating behaviours, communication styles etc.

An overview of a typical 45 minute Puppet Presentation Program for children:

• The Intro: To begin each puppet presentation we introduce the presenters, the puppets and theme of the play “how to be a good friend”.
• The Puppet Play: (Visual Learning) Each play follows a script targeting various types of symptoms specific to children with ASD such as self-regulating behaviours, communication and stereotypical behaviours. For each behaviour we build awareness by modeling, labeling, explaining and normalizing each symptom using a fun and entertaining manner which is age-appropriate and sensitive.
• What Did Roger Learn?: (Auditory Learning) Directly after the play our lead presenter joins the children on the floor to review the learning goals in a brief but meaningful question and answer period.
• Pass the Puppet Circle: (Tactile Learning) We save the best for last when we ask the children to form a circle and give them the opportunity to play with the puppets. During this time our teacher puppets visit one-on-one with each child to review the learning goals once again.
• I’m a Good Friend: We end each session with a reward for their participation by providing each child an “I’m A Good Friend” Sticker.
• Follow-Up Guide: Each teacher receives two original Friend 2 Friend colouring books which review the Seven (7) Friendship Tips.

* Please Note: All Friend 2 Friend Programs are inclusive autism demystification programming therefore we encourage the participation of all children including those on the autism spectrum. The word “autism” is mentioned during our puppet presentation in a sensitive and respectful manner. However, the focus child (child on the autism spectrum) is never singled out or identified.