A Show of Hands

Most of the time, kids would much rather listen to a puppet than to their parents or teachers.

The Center for Puppetry Arts, in Atlanta, knows this. For more than two decades the center has offered puppet shows, exhibits at its museum, and educational workshops to entertain kids and teach them about the art of puppetry around the world.

The center got its start in 1966, when a puppeteer named Vincent Anthony moved from New York to Atlanta and founded a touring puppet company. In 1978, the center found a permanent home at a former elementary school. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets, and Kermit the Frog. Although Mr. Henson died several years ago, the center still receives support from his foundation.

Each year, the Center for Puppetry Arts produces an original educational puppet show for kids. This year’s show, “The Plant Doctors,” teaches kids about the role of plants in the ecosystem. Other productions have included adaptations of classic children’s stories. After a performance, kids get the chance to make their own puppets out of simple materials such as paper cups, as the children shown here have done.

Among the center’s other activities are a workshop for teachers and other adults, who can learn the basics of puppet construction, and a growing outreach program in which instructors from the center bring the art of making puppets to schools across the southeastern United States.