Educational Puppets By Houghton Mifflin

Houghton Mifflin is a textbook publisher, but they also offer other visual aides for the "ed biz" (to quote Tom Lehrer).  This set is from 1987, contains a set of four foam puppets, and a large assortment of add-on shapes that simply velcro onto the puppets' bodies.

While the puppets are vaguely lump-shaped, they take on personality when you add the extra bits.  Add a few limbs; you've got an octopus.  Pointy triangles around the mouth; ya got a chicken.  My favorite requires adding a whole pile of bits to create a big spiny dinosaur.

I've done a lot of educational video work, and sometimes clients ask me to come up with pretty cloying stuff.  I've also seen what passes for "creative" change for the worse over the years.  I have to admit that this puppet set is rather well thought out, and is still fun today.  There are enough puppets and parts to share between several children, the included book has scripts and suggestions for more plays and how to make props.

Maybe it's just the magic of puppets, but I have to admit that since I've gotten this set I haven't been able to stop playing with them.  Next time I'm called on to do educational videos, I'm going to strongly recommend a puppet curriculum.

Related:
Robot 2-XL educational toy
U.S. Presidents in Living Plastic