Playing with play dough is an important activity for young children as it helps develop fine motor skills, creativity, and sensory exploration. On this page, you’ll find simple play dough recipes, creative ways to engage children in play, and tips for when a child is hesitant to interact with the dough. With these resources, you can make play dough time both fun and beneficial for your child!
While there are many options to purchase Play Doh, I feel homemade play dough is much better. Safe ingredients and a better texture.
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1 cup water
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon cream of tartar
food coloring
Print the Best Play Dough Recipe.
This simple recipe makes very soft play dough. The ingredients also make it safe for children to eat, though the high salt content will minimize that. Stored in a tight container, the play dough will last for several months.
12 oz of peanut butter
6 tablespoons of honey
3 cups powdered milk
Combine the ingredients. Play. And eat!
Use items from your kitchen such as cookie cutters, rolling pin, measure cups, and bowls. Poke toothpicks, googly eyes, and paper clips into the play dough to make birthday cakes, faces, and fun creators. Add cookie cutters to create shapes, letters, and numbers. Add seasonal cookie cutters to further holiday learning. Use a child-safe knife or an old plastic gift card to cut the play dough. Use a fork to cut the play dough, stab, and lift. Place the play dough on a spoon and transport from one area of the table to another. Add tongs to mash the dough or transfer balls of play dough. Or purchase sets specifically for play-dough play.
Using the Shape Posters (found in the 2 Year Workbook) and the Number and Letter Posters (found in the 3 Year Workbook) as a guide, form letters and numbers with play dough. When ready, remove the learning mats and have the child form the shape, letter, or number without the guide.
Roll the play dough into thin snakes and various-sized balls. Loop the snakes together to from a bracelet. The rolling works both the hands and the brain!
Hide large pony beads, coins, or buttons in the play dough for the child to discover. Encourage the child not to use her thumb but to use the weaker fingers instead.
Cutting play-dough snakes is a wonderful way to begin scissor use (introduced in the 2 Year Curriculum). This simple procedure allows the child to focus solely on closing and opening the blades.
Using play dough to hold spaghetti pieces stuck vertically in the dough, to hold spaghetti pieces stuck vertically in the dough, thread Froot Loops, Cheerios, or small beads onto the spaghetti pieces without breaking them. This can be used as a wonderful sorting or pattern activity as well.
View more Sorting and Pattern Activities
To provide visual learning, mold Bible characters and objects. For example, create David, Goliath, and roll 5 stones of play dough. Or create a shepherd’s staff (from the Thanksgiving Activity Workbook) or Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus (from the Christmas Activity Workbook).
It’s common for both children and adults to dislike play dough due to its texture, feel, or smell, which can cause an aversion.
What should you do?
From my 11 years of experience with my son in occupational therapy, I learned that we shouldn’t enable children by avoiding what they dislike. Instead of excusing or band-aiding their aversions, we should provide safe opportunities for them to gradually experience those things and teach their bodies that these sensations are not harmful.
Slow and Steady Wins the Race
Introduce play dough in small, manageable doses. Start by encouraging the child to touch it with just one finger, then gradually increase their interaction over time in a calm and safe environment.
Acknowledge the Child’s Fears
Identify the emotion the child is feeling but remind them that “a feeling is just a feeling – it isn’t in charge of you.”
But the Mess!
If you struggle with the mess, take the play dough play outside or place an old tablecloth or shower curtain under the child for a quick cleanup.
Play-Dough Party
A friend of mine avoided play dough at home because of the mess. We decided to have a play-dough party at my house, allowing her children to enjoy it with others. She also realized the mess was manageable and easy to clean up, making it less daunting.
If the aversion persists or you’re concerned, consult a pediatrician or seek an Occupational Therapy evaluation. Even if your child doesn’t qualify for therapy, a good therapist can provide activities to work on at home. Early intervention is crucial.
