Each of the five finger puppets in Christine’s Magical Garden come to life having their own unique superpower. These aren’t the types of powers found in comic books or movies that shoot lasers or lift buildings. Instead, they are heart-led superpowers which have the ability to foster a child’s natural curiosity and wonderment through supporting healthy psychological and emotional development. Interactive, collaborative play helps children to build resilience and develop kindness and empathy. It also fosters self-confidence, creative thinking and problem-solving, which are all vital traits when growing up in today’s fast-paced, technological world.

For parents, the puppets’ superpowers are of a different nature, offering a golden opportunity of interacting with their child from within the child’s perspective. Young children narrate their stories out loud during imaginative play, and it is this process which provides parents with a window into their child’s inner world. Listening sensitively to the dialogue can, for example, help parents identify problems associated with bullying, making friends, or the child not understanding their feelings in a difficult situation.

If an adult uses a puppet to interact with a child – suddenly, it’s a level playing field…well, almost. The power of the puppet is revealed when an adult becomes one of the characters, and helps a child find solutions to problems in a safe environment. This allows the child to try something they haven’t previously done. For example, the adult can help the child to find the words they want to say, then experiment with different outcomes which might result. The key is staying in character while allowing the child to set the pace and topic.