- Created by
- Childcraft, American
- Date
- 1968
- Medium
- rubber and paint
- Dimensions
- H x W x D: 8 7/16 × 5 1/8 × 3 1/8 in. (21.5 × 13 × 8 cm)
- Caption
- Created for use by children’s counselors and therapists, this hand puppet is part of a set that depicts two five-person family units; one family is African American while the other is Caucasian. Being able to use puppets that reflect a child’s personal race and gender is important for this kind of therapy to be successful. It is also significant for children’s self-esteem and learning cues that the African American dolls show a complete nuclear family unit, wearing clothes that communicate middle class respectability.
- Description
- A mother figure painted rubber hand puppet by Childcraft. With her arms raised close to her face, the mother puppet wears a bright blue cardigan and yellow belted dress. She has auburn hair, red lips, and on the bottom back of her dress the maker's mark: CHILDCRAFT / [copyright symbol] 1968. Her sand colored rubber interior has three finger holes.
- Place used
- Oxford, Butler County, Ohio, United States, North and Central America
- Classification
- Tools and Equipment
- Toys and Games
- Topic
- Children
- Communication
- Education
- Families
- Identity
- Mental health
- Play
- Race relations
- Credit Line
- Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Janice Elzey & Steve Schnabl
- Object number
- 2019.81.2.2
- Restrictions & Rights
- © Childraft 1968
- Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.




