Our classroom is a busy place where your preschooler is learning all sorts of things, including social and emotional skills such as how to express feelings and how to work together with classmates on a project. Most of the time the classroom is a happy place where the children enjoy playing and learning together. Occasionally, however, teachers need to step in to help children resolve conflicts. We often use puppets to talk with children about these conflicts or other problems and to help them think about solutions. In our experience, children are eager to tell their fears and feelings to one of the puppets. You can use puppets at home, too. They are a great way to introduce your child to feeling words like happy, sad, angry, and excited. Puppets can also help in discussions about challenging topics, like getting to bed on time. Here are some other suggestions for helping your child develop social and emotional skills.