A puppet can say things a child might not say themselves. Shy children often chat away through a puppet, and a puppet is very good at asking the tricky questions at story time.

Folkmanis puppets are the ones we come back to. The animals look and move like the real thing, many have mouths that open and close, and they come sized for a child's hand or an adult's. Finger puppets are an easy, low-cost start for toddlers.

Add a puppet theatre, or just a sheet over the back of the couch, and you have a show.