Are push puppets really puppets? I mean, going by the definition of what a puppet is (an object manipulated and brought to life), is this toy object really a puppet?

My opinion is no: like other toys, such as motorised cars, wind-up toys, etc, a push puppet does no more than move a little at the press of a button. And yet, automata, such as what I saw in Perth at UNIMA (check my Flickr photos for examples; they are similar to wind-up toys and robotic objects) are also considered puppets.

Push puppets are not that much different to automata. 

My guess is that the promoter or inventor of push puppets actually just used the term ‘puppet’ in order to make it more appealing to children and/or the parents buying them.

This question occurs to me because a while ago I got a call from someone who wanted a class for her kid’s birthday party on how to make push puppets. I don’t even think anyone in puppetry in Australia makes them, let alone does classes on them.

What do you think? Is it a toy, or a puppet?