Pediatric speech-language clinics say they're leaning more heavily on finger puppets during sessions, with several clinicians reporting that young clients open up more readily when a puppet, rather than the therapist directly, is the one asking a difficult question.
The technique isn't new to the field, but clinicians say they're using it more deliberately now, often keeping a small rotating cast of puppet characters so that a child can build familiarity with one 'voice' across multiple sessions.
Some clinics have started sending simple felt puppet kits home with families specifically so a child can keep practicing with the same puppet outside of appointments.