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Introducing: Icky Ichthys
Children’s sermons, Sunday school, nursery – wherever adults and children share faith talk, Icky Ichthys brings the fun! Geared for use by adults with children ages 2 and up, this  soft, colorful 22-inch puppet is crafted for long, happy years of use (fabric may vary).

"But I never used a puppet before"
You needn’t worry about being good at storytelling because they can use Icky’s Fish Tales – a book of over 50 conversational children’s sermons to help adults share faith talk with young children during story time or in worship. Each story is written as a conversation between you, Icky, and the children. Also included are helpful tips for using puppets in different situations. Simple, easy, and fun. (You can order this separately on this page).

Why the name "Icky"?
You may be thinking that a fish is a strange Bible storyteller, and that “Icky” is an odd name! Of course, many stories of Jesus take place around the Sea of Galilee and some of his disciples were fishers, but these aren’t the only fish connections. Icky is named for Ichthys – the Greek word for “fish.” In Greek, the first letters of these names – Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior – spelled the word Ichthys. The Ichthys is one of the church’s oldest symbols. Early Christians used the symbol like a arrow to direct believers to secret meeting places, as well as to identify themselves as followers of Christ. Upon meeting, one person would draw a half circle to indicate their Christian identity. If the other person recognized the invitation, they drew another half circle and the simple fish shape was formed. So Ichthys is where Icky gets his name.

Using Puppets for Children’s Sermons

Using a puppet like Icky Ichthys can be a fun way to create a special bond with the children in your congregation. It can also give you, the storyteller, permission to engage with the children in ways that bridge Bible learning with play and imagination. When using any puppet, keep in mind some of these ideas

Spend time getting to know the puppet. Talk to Icky and let him answer. What sort of personality do you think he has? Is he old and wise? Energetic and fun loving? Shy? A jokester? Talking to and with Icky will give you a feel for how you might interact with the puppet during children’s sermons.

Each children’s sermon should have some level of conversation between you, Icky, and the children. practice each sermon to imagine how you and Icky might work together with the children to share in the faith talk.

Icky is a fairly large puppet and has a moveable mouth that can hold some things. Practice maneuvering Icky and get a feel for what sort of things are possible, fun, and easy for him to do.

Icky can “talk” if you position your whole hand under the lower part of his mouth. Don’t try to hide that you are the voice of Icky. Young children will be more interested in Icky and his movements than in who is doing the talking.