Puppetry and autism often belong together. Autistic kids who don't want to talk to people frequently open up to puppets. This has given many parents and teachers a fun opportunity to create a bridge of communication and healing with their children.
A favorite example - a friend's three-year-old boy did nothing but pitch endless screaming fits. He responded to none of his mother's attempts to communicate. She was already a grandmother and successful school teacher, and was feeling just desparate, with nothing left to do that she could see.
Finally one day she reached into her closet for a puppet she had made. Her little guy smiled! This was the beginning of thousands of "Boy and Puppet" moments that helped her son become a happy, sociable and productive child - a true asset to his family and community. At age eleven, he still loves puppets and produces his own shows, karaoke included!