What do children learn when playing with playdough?

Making play dough is EASY and play dough activities can support any of the 7 areas of learning in the EYFS (the UK Early Years curriculum).

All you need are flour, salt and food colouring and 15 minutes.

To take full advantage of the activity make it WITH your child! Why not get all the ingredients ready and supervise your child as they mix the ingredients themself?

Here's how the play dough you make can be used to support any or all of the 7 areas of learning:

Understanding the World & Communication and Language with Play Dough

Talk to your child about what they are doing to support their understanding of how things work and change and their speaking skills.

Physical Development & Literacy with Play Dough

Mixing the dough and playing with the playdough helps to strengthen little hands and fingers which is great for writing later on.

Expressive Art & Design with Play Dough

Make simple representations of people and things. Your child may do this instinctively but you could support by making a circle shape and suggesting your child make the facial features for example.

Mathematics with Play Dough

Model good counting behaviour to your child, maybe by lining up little blobs of play dough and counting them. Use questions like 'How much have you got? How many do you have?"

Personal, Social and Emotional Development with Play-Dough

Build up a role play situation together. Maybe you make a play dough pizza and then share out the pieces. Let your child respond to your play and carry it on.

Easily Make your own Play Dough at Home

Here's a short video showing how easy play dough is to make. (Video from 'HooplaKidz How To' on Youtube who also have lots of creative ideas for things to make with your play dough)