Playdough Play

What You'll Need

• Store-bought playdough, or homemade (see tip below)
• A clean, flat surface or plastic placemat
• Optional tools: plastic fork, rolling pin, cookie cutters, craft sticks
• Optional loose parts: googly eyes, buttons, dried pasta for decorating

Easy Homemade Playdough

1. Mix 1 cup flour, ½ cup salt, 2 tsp cream of tartar in a saucepan.
2. Add 1 cup water, 1 tbsp oil, and a few drops of food colouring.
3. Stir over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until it pulls away from the sides.
4. Cool for 5 minutes, then knead briefly. Store in an airtight bag — lasts weeks!

Let's Play!

1. Give your toddler a lump of dough — let them squish, poke, and explore freely first.
2. Roll snakes together: "Can you make a long one? A short one?"
3. Flatten it out and use cookie cutters to stamp out shapes — name each one.
4. Make animals, food, or people together and narrate what you're making.
5. Press objects into the dough to make prints — a fork, a leaf, a button.
6. End by rolling all the dough into one big ball and putting it away together.

What They'll Learn