Mythical Puppet Toys to Play with On St. George’s Day
Happy St George’s Day! Learn more about the legend of Saint George and the Dragon and how you can celebrate with your little ones. Read up on how to put on your own mythical production that will rival Punch and Judy shows with some of our favourite puppet toys.
Who is St. George?
St. George is the patron saint of England, despite being born in Cappadocia (somewhere around modern day Turkey.) According to the legend, George nobly and courageously fought off a dragon who was taking gifts and livestock from the villagers. Before the princess could surrender to the dragon, she warns St George about this vicious beast and pleads to him to flee. Instead he bravely takes on and defeats the dragon, saving the princess.
We now celebrate St George’s Day every year on the 23rd April, acknowledging England’s rich history and traditions with performances, British foods and parades.
How to Celebrate St George’s Day with Children
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Make the legend more age appropriate by storytelling with puppets. Puppetry can be a great way to teach kids about history and folk tales, whilst maintaining all the fun and imagination. Acting out the story of George and the Dragon will not only develop their conversational skills, but the tale is a great lesson for overcoming obstacles and being brave.
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Get crafty with some homemade red and white flags and decorations. Encourage your little one’s creativity further by showing them how to make castle backgrounds and set pieces for their puppet play.
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Dress the part! Bring your puppet show to life by wearing the right attire. Roam around like royalty in princess/prince costume or be the daring hero dressed up as a knight. Get inspiration for your medieval outfits with our Kids Costumes & Dress Up collection.
Putting on a St. George’s Day Puppet Show
Set the scene
Puppet Theatre
Put on a stellar performance with the Tidlo Puppet Theatre. This wooden playhouse is the perfect set up to start your play. With a chalkboard and red gingham curtains, the world is your stage!
King George's Castle
Build a fantasy setting fit for royalty with our appropriately named King George’s Castle. This wooden castle is a fantastic background for the legend, you can use finger puppets to act out the scenes outside it or on the drawbridge. Our castle also makes a great gift to celebrate St George's Day.
Choose your characters
Fiesta Crafts has a range of hand and finger puppets as well as masks you can put together to give your story a bit of extra magic.
Become a knight in shining armour
Blue Knight Finger Puppet
Channel St George himself with Fiesta’s selection of knight puppets. It can be traditional to wear blue on St George’s Day (according to records, this was his favourite colour!) so this Blue Knight Finger Puppet makes for the perfect protagonist.
Moving Mouth Knight Hand Puppet
Alternatively, check out our Moving Mouth Knight Hand Puppet. This chatty puppet toy has a beautifully detailed helmet and soft fabric sword that will serve you well in your battle with the dragon.
Defeat the dragon
Green Dragon Hand Puppet
Although he doesn’t breathe fire, this Green Dragon Hand Puppet is the ideal villain for your play. With movable wings and a red tongue, you can take on the role of the ferocious beast.
Red Dragon 3D Mask Card Craft
For a more hands-on experience, craft the Red Dragon 3D Mask together. This incredible dragon disguise will have your audience roaring with delight. The mask is more suitable for older kids, so make sure to help your little one put this together.
Crown a King or Queen
Princess Finger Puppet
Change the narrative of the damsel in distress with Fiesta Crafts’ Princess Finger Puppet. This fearless future queen is a great companion for St George, dressed in all pink with gorgeous gold details but still ready to take on the dragon.
Prince Finger Puppet
Become the next king of the castle with our medieval Prince Finger Puppet. With his dashing cape and crown, the prince is a superb addition to your puppet show as he resembles a superhero and can help your knight to save the day.
Royalty Finger Puppets
Need more characters for your puppet show? Create the atmosphere of the middle ages with these Royal Finger Puppets. These wonderful wooden puppets are easy to hold and make for great extras for your production.