Play dough activities for kids

Safety first

Play dough is not food. Whether it is bought or homemade, it is not meant to be eaten, and homemade dough is often very salty. Stay close and supervise any child who still puts things in their mouth. Small loose parts such as large buttons, bottle tops and pasta shapes are for children over three only, and a grown-up should count them out and back in. Homemade dough usually contains wheat flour, so it is not suitable where there is a wheat or gluten allergy, and salt can sting cuts, so check your family's needs first. Many bought doughs contain wheat as well, so read the label. Wash hands before and after playing and keep dough away from pets. Store it sealed, and throw it away if it smells odd or looks mouldy.

A quick note on the dough

Any soft, clean dough will do. For a no-cook batch, many families knead together flour, salt, water and a little oil until it feels smooth. If it sticks, work in a little more flour. If it cracks, add a few drops of water. Food colouring can stain hands and clothes, so use a mat or tray.

1. Snakes and snails

Age hint: 3 and up.

Bring: a lump of dough in one or two colours, and a clean tray or mat.

1. Pinch off a piece and roll it between your palms or on the table into a long snake.
2. Try a stripe by twisting two colours together.
3. Coil another snake round and round to make a snail shell, then add a small body and two feelers.
4. Line up your creatures and give each one a name.

Notice: Which is longer, your snake or your snail's shell if you uncurled it?

2. Dough pizza with loose parts

Age hint: 3 and up for the dough, over 3 for toppings.

Bring: a flat paper plate or tray, a rolling pin or a clean jar, and toppings such as large buttons, bottle tops or pasta shapes. Large buttons and other small parts are for children over three only and need a grown-up watching.

1. Roll or pat a ball of dough into a flat round base.
2. Add a thin snake of dough around the edge for the crust.
3. Decorate with toppings. Counting out four of one kind and three of another is a fun way to share.
4. Serve your pizza to a toy or a grown-up, then count the toppings back into a box so nothing gets lost.

Notice: Which topping did you use the most of, and what is your pizza called?

3. Footprints and leaf prints

Age hint: 3 and up.

Bring: a rolled-out slab of dough, a few clean dry leaves, and your own fingers or a toy animal with flat feet.

1. Flatten the dough until it is about as thick as your thumb.
2. Press a leaf on top with its veins facing down, rub gently, then lift it away.
3. Press a hand, a finger or a toy animal's foot into a fresh patch.
4. Compare your prints.

Notice: What patterns can you see inside the leaf print, and whose footprint is this?

4. Dough number and letter shapes

Age hint: 3 and up.

Bring: dough, and a card with a number or letter drawn large enough to trace.

1. Roll a long thin snake.
2. Lay it over the line of the number or letter on your card.
3. Pinch off the ends and add a little ball for a dot or a curl where needed.
4. Start with the first letter of your name, or the number that matches your age.

Notice: Which shape was easiest to make, and which one needed a few tries?

5. A dough zoo

Age hint: 3 and up.

Bring: dough in several colours, and a tray or a shoebox lid for the zoo.

1. Choose an animal, such as an elephant, a snake or a tortoise.
2. Build it from simple balls and sausages: a big ball for the body, small ones for legs, a long one for a trunk or tail.
3. Build a pen from dough bricks.
4. Make your own gentle zoo sounds.

Notice: Which animal is the biggest, and which would you like to look after?

6. Rolling pin and cutter shapes

Age hint: 3 and up.

Bring: a child-safe rolling pin or clean jar, biscuit cutters or cups, and a mat.

1. Roll the dough out flat.
2. Press a cutter straight down, wiggle it a little, then lift it away.
3. Roll the leftovers and cut more.
4. Sort your shapes by kind, line them up in a pattern or make a picture.

Notice: How many different shapes did you make, and how did you sort them?

More to do on Rangooo

Mix up messy fun with sand and mud play, make a snack-time game from no-cook kitchen activities, practise number play with counting games, set up a shop or kitchen with pretend play ideas, try some easy paper crafts, browse more stories and activities, or see resources for teachers.

Questions

What age is play dough suitable for?

Many families offer play dough from around three years old with a grown-up close by, as long as the child is not putting it in their mouth. Small loose parts such as buttons are for children over three only. You know your child best, so adjust each idea to suit them.

Is play dough safe to eat?

No. Bought and homemade dough is for playing, not for eating, and homemade dough is often very salty. Stay close, remind children it is not food, and speak to a doctor or pharmacist if you are worried that a child has swallowed some.

How do we store play dough?

Press it into a sealed container or a bag with the air squeezed out, and keep it somewhere cool. Throw it away if it smells odd, looks mouldy or has picked up dirt, crumbs or small bits of other materials.

Can we make play dough without cooking?

Yes. Many no-cook recipes knead together flour, salt, water and a little oil. Add a pinch more flour if it feels sticky, or a few drops of water if it crumbles. Check the allergy note first, because plain flour contains wheat and gluten.