CREATING PUPPET THEATRE FOR CHILDREN TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE PROBLEM GARBAGE IN THE BANGSAEN SEA

Abstract

This research, “The Creation of Puppet Theatre for Children to Raise Awareness of Beach and Marine Litter Problems in Bangsaen,” aims to develop and stage a puppet performance for children aged 7–12 to foster environmental awareness and responsibility toward marine pollution. Using a performance-based research approach, puppets were created from discarded materials collected from Bangsaen seah and household waste, transforming trash into visual tools for learning.

The performance, “Por Pla Puad Thong” (“Mr. Fish’s Stomachache”), was designed with interactive elements to engage children emotionally and cognitively, using familiar marine animal characters to stimulate perception, memory, reasoning, and empathy. Collaboration with Assistant Professor Khalid Midam ensured effective scriptwriting and stage direction.

Findings show that children responded with interest, empathy, and
understanding, particularly toward Jojo the Shark, the main character. The study demonstrates that puppet theatre can effectively combine creativity and education, encouraging young audiences to reflect on environmental issues and consider actions to protect Bangsaen’s coastal ecosystem.