How to Use Finger Puppets to Teach Children with Autism

Wondering how to use finger puppets with children with autism in your home or classroom? Looking for a fun way to build communication skills, imitation skills, social skills, role-play and more? You will love using finger puppets with autistic children! It is so much fun. If you love puppets, check out these sock puppet ideas next!

I definitely recommend having some finger puppets on hand in your child or students’ progress nook. If you haven’t already, learn to make a progress nook here.

How to use finger puppets

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Use finger puppets with children’s songs

Use this sweet duck finger puppet while listening to the Five Little Ducks song below.

Build communication skills

Have your child or students work on sounds, repeat words or say full sentences with the help of finger puppets. You can use finger puppets even if your child is nonverbal.

Build fine motor skills

Guide your little one to point his or her finger and put it inside the finger puppet. They helps teach pointing, all while building fine motor strength and precision.

Build imitation skills

Use the finger puppets to teach imitation skills by modelling a certain action (like jumping) and then having your child to students do the same in imitation.

Role play

Use the finger puppets to teach your little learner to take turns and also the concept of each person having a “role” in the game.

Build attention skills

Time the amount of time that your little one can focus on the finger puppets in play and increase this time little by little to build attention skills.

Work on eye contact

Prompt your little one to look at you by holding up the finger puppet. You can also teach your child or students to scan with their eyes by moving the finger puppet horizontally and having the child follow it with their eyes.

As a reinforcer

If your child or students love finger puppets and your are doing a session that works on a variety of activities and skills, use a selection of finger puppets as a reinforcer. After each activity, have your little learner pick out a finger puppet for him or herself and for you and spend a few minutes playing with them.

Explore emotions and relationships between people

Puppets in general are a great learning tool for exploring emotions and relationships between family members and friends. You can also use them to teach social skills. Watch the video below for some extra tips.

Why use finger puppets in storytelling

Telling a story using finger puppets provides additional visual support which is known to help autistic children learn more easily.

If you are reading about a duck, why not use a duck finger puppet at the same time to show your little learner the connection between the words he or she is hearing and the physical object (the duck)?

Using finger puppets while reading stories can help children on the autism spectrum understand a “story arc” – a beginning, middle and end.

You could create a lesson plan that uses this adorable duck finger puppet with this Five Little Ducks book for example.

Using finger puppets with toddlers

Finger puppets are perfect for children with autism of any age who need to build communication skills, social skills and pretend play skills.

They are particularly well suited to toddlers on the autism spectrum.

Benefits of using finger puppets in the classroom

Increase communication
Provide your students with a fun and engaging activity that can be used in a group

Use finger puppets as part of your virtual sessions

Finger puppets are also a fabulous tool to use during virtual learning sessions if you are a teacher or therapist.

If you need more tips for how to teach during virtual sessions, you will love my E-Learning for Autism Professionals Quick Start Guide. In it I share all of my best tips for teaching learners with autism online, based on my years of experience doing just that!

Puppet show role play

Use finger puppets to engage your child in role play. Take turns playing out different scenes as various characters such as a child, farm animal, sea creature or something else!

My favorite Etsy finger puppets

All of these finger puppets are available on Etsy.

Forest Animals Finger Puppets

Farm Animals Finger Puppets

Old McDonald Finger Puppets Set

Make your own finger puppets

I love this tutorial that shows you how to create finger puppets out of old gloves as well! This would be a fun project for a classroom or home or therapy program.

More Autism Activities

Autism Activities (28 of my favorite activities!)
Mindfulness Activities for Kids
Activities for Nonverbal Autistic Child
Valentine’s Day Coloring Pages
Outdoor Activities for Autistic Child

More Autism Resources

Autism Activities Workbook Bundle – build communication skills, fine motor skills, sensory play skills and daily living skills, while helping your child or students to successfully manage any difficult behaviors, with these fun, educational, printable activities.
The Successful Interaction with a Child with Autism Course – learn to better understand your autistic child or students with this complete course.
Sensory Communication Workbook – Build communication skills with simple sensory activities.
How to Make a Communication Binder Guide & Workbook – Learn how to create a Communication Binder for your child or student with autism using real photos. Follow my expert guide to learn how to use it to increase communication skills.
Zoo Animals Play Dough Mats Bundle – use these printable play dough mat to work on the names of the animals, build language skills, and increase fine motor strength and precision in a fun, sensory way!