Spare Parts Puppet Theatre presents… Puppet Playtime
Inaugural Creative Program specifically designed for kids aged 3-5
Monthly from February to November, 2023
Puppet powerhouse, Spare Parts Puppet Theatre announces its inaugural ‘early years’ puppetry program, Puppet Playtime. The program has been specifically designed for children aged 3-5 and will run monthly at the company’s Fremantle home from February to November 2023. Perfectly pitched for young minds and busy hands, Puppet Playtime is also gentle on the family budget—accompanying adults attend for free!
Supported by Healthway and developed in partnership with the Telethon Kids Institute, Puppet Playtime is a first of its kind that addresses the real need and growing market of families searching for suitable, affordable, high-quality activities for early-aged children.
Puppet Playtime, directed by acclaimed puppetry artist, Bec Bradley (The Velveteen Rabbit, Blueback, The One Who Planted Trees) and performed by a team of Spare Parts’ outstanding artists, celebrates early childhood through an abundance of creative storytelling, hands-on activities, interactive games, and lots of puppets!
Each Puppet Playtime session sees a Spare Parts artist give a performed reading of the Book of the Month—brought to life with puppetry—to children and accompanying adults before unleashing their collective creativity through interaction, inclusive discussion, hands-on activities, and puppet-making.
Director of Puppet Playtime Bec Bradley said that the innovative program was specially designed to encourage curiosity and imagination in children as well as a range of developmental, social, and creative skills based on the latest Telethon Kids Institute research.
“Puppet Playtime is designed to develop key skills in young children such as language and communication, fine motor skills, and social-emotional intelligence,” she said. “Puppet Playtime is the perfect pathway from early childhood to the wonders of the theatre, and a wonderful introduction to imaginative playtime through the magic of puppetry.”
Puppet Playtime will run for the next ten months in 2023, and will be a rich, shared experience for children and adults alike of imaginative, creative ideas, high quality puppetry and fun-filled storytelling, The first sessions will be hosted by acclaimed performer Kylie Bywaters (Carnival of The Animals, Hachiko: the Loyal Dog, The Little Prince) on February 21 and 23 at Spare Parts Puppet Theatre’s Creative Learning Centre located at 1 Short Street, Fremantle opposite the Freo Train Station. The first Book of the Month is Maurice Sendak’s ever-popular Where the Wild Things Are.
Spots in the Puppet Playtime program are strictly limited for each session. Tickets are $10 per child. Accompanying adults attend for free! For bookings and further information, click here.
