Making Pink Playdough

27/04/11

This morning S asked me if we could make some play dough to put out on the deck so she could play with. I went into the art cupboard to see if there was anyone play dough made on Tuesday, there wasn’t. I got all the ingredients out of the art cupboard to make the play dough, I then asked S “what colour play dough do you want” and she said “pink”. S helped make the play dough by pouring the flour into the bowl, then she added the salt and cream of tartar and I poured the oil in. S stirred them together. I took S with me to get the hot water from the staff room, as I poured the water in I heard S count how many cups I put in, then I stirred it all together. I let S hold the bowl and we took it back onto the deck where S stirred the mixture and said “this is really hard Amy”. I then mixed it with my hands and found it very sticky so I asked S to add some more flour, S poured it in then her and some boys mixed the flour into the play dough with their hands. According to Lisa Babers (2008) “Children love to play with play dough and it is even more exciting when they can make it themselves. It is important just for children to see the process and grasp even a slight concept or understanding of how simple everyday items in their kitchen at home has all of the tools necessary for this project” (p.1, retrieved from http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/968718/how_to_play_and_learn_with_play_dough.html?cat=4)

Once the play dough was ready S and the boys helped me put the ingredients away and S placed the play dough in a bag then put it away in the Art cupboard, then it was time for morning tea.

After morning tea time S asked if she could get the play dough out and asked if she could have the shark and butterfly cutter. S helped me get the play dough and play dough equipment out and set it on the table. S and a group of other children stood around the play dough table using the rolling pins to smooth out the play dough, then used the cookie cutters to make different shapes. S used the shark cutter to and said “look Amy a shark”, C said “I making heart cookies” and J said “I making a butterfly”. S made three shark shapes, two butterflies and one heart then she counted them all together and said “I have 6 cookies”, S then handed them out to her friends. J made a butterfly, then held it up and said “look Amy it’s flying. C cut out some hearts and said “these are cookies for my Mum”.

S stirring the play dough

S adding extra flour

S, C, Ja and T mixing flour into play dough with hands

S making a Shark uisng play dough



J making a Butterfly using play dough



C making a Heart using play dough



Making and playing with play dough children learn mathematics when they measure out the amount of the ingredients. they also learn how to count and sort while playing with the play dough. This was shown when S counted how many cookies she had all together. According to Lisa Babers (2008) “children learn about conversation. but more importantly they learn while having fun. Children are able to be creative and their imaginations will soar” (p.1, retrieved from http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/968718/how_to_play_and_learn_with_play_dough.html?cat=4).

Te Whāriki states that “children experience an environment where they gain confidence in and control of their bodies” as “children develop strategies for actively exploring and making sense of the world by using their bodies including active exploration with all the senses, and the use of tools, materials, and equipment to extend skills.

According to Sheila Milnes “play dough is a sensory play material like sand and water. Children thrive on sensory activities. What can children learn just by squeezing and messing around with a little bit of dough? A lot” (2010, p.2, retrieved from http://betterkidcare.psu.edu/AngelUnits/OneHour/Playdough/PlaydoughLessonA.html).

Children learn to extend their fine motor skills, imagination and creativity, emotional development, social skills and they have longer attention spans when playing with sensory play activities.

Reference List

Babers, L. (2008). How to play and learn with play dough. Retrieved from http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/968718/how_to_play_and_learn_with_play_dough.html?cat=4

Milnes, S. (2010). Play dough: The Best Recipe For Fun and learning. Retrieved from http://betterkidcare.psu.edu/AngelUnits/OneHour/Playdough/PlaydoughLessonA.html

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He Whāriki mātaurangi mō ngā   mōkopuna o Aotearoa.  Wellington: Learning Media.