Making Connections Through Puppetry is a professional development workshop series that teaches educators, therapists, counselors and parents how to use puppets when working with neurodiverse and neurotypical children. Puppetry can be used as an effective learning tool and bridge for communication and motivation. Applied skills with puppetry include: joint attention, pretend play, social/emotional learning, de-escalation, impulse control, emotional regulation & more. Professional puppeteer Lindsey “Z.” Briggs will teach participants the basics of puppetry performance and technique as well as discuss ways to utilize puppets to make connections with children, especially those who can be hard to reach, and build bridges of trust, kindness and joy. Each participant will receive a unique customized puppet to use throughout the workshop and in their work going forward.