Gumba

Live puppet theatre · Built for primary schools, Years K–6

World‑class puppetry that speaks kid.

Gumba brings hand‑built puppets, live music and story into the school hall — performances made to entertain first, and to open something up for the kids watching.

Bring Gumba to your school

Inspiring young minds

Every child deserves art that makes them feel seen.

At Gumba, we believe every child deserves access to art that inspires them, sparks their imagination, and invites them to create, think, and belong. Art that makes them feel seen and valued — that gives them a voice, opens their minds to new ideas, and helps them make sense of the world around them.

We believe creativity isn’t an optional extra in a child’s education. It’s an essential part of growing, learning, and discovering who we are — and every child, regardless of background or postcode, deserves access to inspiring, high‑quality artistic experiences.

Yet for many children, particularly those in rural and low‑socioeconomic communities, opportunities to experience exceptional arts and cultural programs can be limited. We want to help change that.

Our mission is to bring world‑class, multidisciplinary performances to children across regions and backgrounds — experiences that engage, inspire, and educate through the magic of live performance.

A brightly costumed Gumba puppet with a rainbow-feathered headdress, mid-performance on stage.

A different way of learning

Let’s be honest — the usual approach isn’t working.

Are you tired of yet another play about bullying that simply tells children “bullying is bad” — without exploring the feelings, relationships, and underlying issues that can lead to it?

Us too.

And what about another children’s song that makes you secretly wish someone would invent a mute button for real life?

Yep. We’ve been there.

At Gumba, we believe children deserve more. We build performances that explore issues like bullying, disengagement and the challenges of learning — not by preaching, but by inviting kids into stories, music and experiences that spark real curiosity and connection.

We pair thoughtful storytelling with exceptional artistry and a healthy dose of playfulness — and yes, we make music adults enjoy too. The kind that might find its way into the family car on the way home. (We can’t promise everyone will agree on which song plays first.)

A goggled Gumba puppet holding an old telephone to its ear, mid-scene.

An analog adventure in a digital world

Some things are better shared in one room, live.

Children today are growing up surrounded by screens and endless streams of content. Technology has its place — but there’s something wonderfully special about being in the same room, sharing a story, laughing together, and experiencing the magic of a live performance.

A world where a puppet can become a friend, a piece of music can spark a new idea, and a story can transport an entire hall somewhere unexpected.

Our performances invite children to engage with the arts as active participants, not just passive consumers — encouraging curiosity, self‑expression, collaboration, and the freedom to imagine what might be possible. Because children shouldn’t only experience the world through someone else’s creations. They should have the chance to create, explore and discover their own.

That’s what we bring to schools: engaging, imaginative, meaningful — a little bit of magic, a lot of artistry, and something that stays with kids long after the show ends.

A vivid pink and blue butterfly puppet perched on a performer's hand.

Why this matters

The value of learning through performance

At Gumba, we believe great educational experiences can be both meaningful and deeply entertaining — built to spark curiosity, encourage imagination, and let children explore ideas through music, storytelling, theatre and play. Research increasingly backs this up.

Educational Researcher · 2018

Learning through experience. Students who attended live theatre performances showed stronger knowledge of story and vocabulary, plus gains in tolerance and social perspective‑taking.

Read the study →
J. of Cognition and Development · 2022

Developing empathy. Facilitated discussion and preparation built around a live performance can support empathy and social perspective‑taking in students.

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Early Childhood Research Quarterly · 2018

Supporting young learners. High‑quality drama experiences for preschoolers can provide an engaging learning environment alongside more traditional teaching.

Read the study →

For Gumba, this reinforces something we believe deeply: artistic excellence and educational value don’t need to be separate.

  • A powerful story can entertain while encouraging reflection.
  • A song can inspire joy while introducing new ideas.
  • A character can help a child consider a perspective beyond their own.

Bring Gumba to your school

Let’s put on a show.

Tell us a little about your school and what you’re after. We reply to every inquiry — usually within a couple of school days.

  • Send an inquiryFill in the form — takes about a minute.
  • We get back to youWe’ll follow up to talk dates, format and fit for your school.
  • Curtain upWe bring the puppets, the music and the story — you bring the audience.
We’ll only use these details to reply to your inquiry.