Playdough is a fantastic resource for tamariki. It is a relaxing and soothing resource that provides an amazing sensory play experience. Playdough can be used in many different ways to create whatever children are interested in and can be used alongside other resources to add another dimension to children’s play. 

Playdough promotes the development of many important skills, including hand-eye coordination, rolling, patting and squeezing. It also provides children with an opportunity to explore and learn about mathematics and science and other important everyday experiences, such as preparing and cooking food. Playdough is easy for all tamariki to play with because they can easily manipulate it to do and create many different things. Adults can join in and play alongside tamariki, talking about and imagining alongside tamariki in their play and learning.

Alongside playdough, many different resources can be used to add to the play. Some examples of these are:

Scissors

Shape cutters

Rolling pins

Stones

Shells

Flowers

Cooking utensils

Plastic or wooden animals

Sticks, twigs or popsicle sticks

What’s more, not only can children play with playdough, but with a little help and guidance, tamariki can help make playdough together, and they really enjoy the process! Our Kea (preschool) tamariki thoroughly enjoy the process of making playdough, each taking turns to add the various ingredients and mix them all together!

Making playdough can be a messy process, so it is even more fun for tamariki! When making playdough, tamariki can see what happens when each of the different dry and liquid ingredients is added and what happens to the playdough when it is all mixed together. Each week we spend some time creating fresh playdough together with our Kea tamariki, encouraging them all to take turns and be involved in the process. Once we have made the playdough together, we all sit down together and play with it! 

There are many different recipes that you can try out to make playdough with tamariki. Here is one that we use with our Kea tamariki.

 Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour

• 1 cup salt

• 2 tablespoons cream of tartar

• 2 tablespoons oil

• 1-2 teaspoons food colouring

• 1-2 teaspoons flavour essence

• 2 cups warm water

• ½ cup flour (for kneading)

Method:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

2. Add the oil, food colouring, flavour essence and warm water.

3. Mix together until the mixture is combined.

4. The mixture should be sticky but not too sticky. Add more flour or water as needed.

5. Pour ½ cup of flour onto the table and knead the dough together.

6. Have fun, play and get creative!