In this BLOG post I will teach you how to make homemade play dough, as well as share TONS of ways to use play dough to strengthen fine motor skills.
When I was 18 I started working in a HeadStart Pre-School classroom. It was there that I fell in love with teaching, learned to be resourceful with materials and found my passion for sensory play.
For over 20 years I have advocated for sensory play in the classroom and at a home as a way to incorporate and strengthen early childhood skills into your day. Play dough strengthens fine motors skills, helps to increase language and vocabulary and is a great way to activate your senses.
It can also be so very calming. One major benefit of sensory play is how it can help to regulate emotions and reduce the effects of big emotions.
Play dough is inclusive. There is NO wrong way to play.
It is also ageless. Children (and adults!) of all ages can explore playdough at their own developmental level. It provides an opportunity for them all to play together, separately.
Play dough is also EASY to differentiate based off your interests. Are you a truck lover? Add them in! Dino lover? Stamp around in "mud" play dough. Do princesses bring you joy? Add them in with sparkly jewels. You can bring life to any theme by adding in some soft and squishy dough and trinkets.
There are ENDLESS ways to use play dough. Truly...that is one of the most amazing things about it. You can use it for learning, for playing and for strengthening motor skills. You can use it to introduce or reinforce new language and vocabulary. You can use it to practice important socials skills such as using manners, patience and turn-taking. You can use play dough to work on problem solving skills, color identification, color mixing, and MORE. I told you...the possibilities are endless!!
In this post, I am going to focus specifically on fine motor skills. Fine Motor Skills strengthen the small muscles in the fingers, arms, and wrists. They are important for life skills such as cutting, feeding yourself, drawing, writing, brushing teeth, zipping up a coat, tying shoes, and so much more!
The earlier we can introduce activities to strengthen those muscles, the better! Research shows that children who have more opportunities to smoosh, squeeze, dig, pull, dump and pour have an easier transition down the road when they are asked to hold a pencil and write!
If you have a resistant writer this may be the reason! If those muscles are weak, holding a pencil and forming letters will feel HARD. It will hurt. It will be exhausting. They may understand the concept that is being asked (writing sight words, sentences, math problems etc) but the labor of writing is so overwhelming that they stop or complain or quit before they should.
Just the simple act of squishing and squeezing the dough is so good for fingers and hands. The more they smoosh and build with the dough; the more opportunities they have to work the muscles.
The more they practice through play, the easier it will be when they need to use those same fingers and hands for self-help skills, for writing and for building.
Check out these FREE printables to compliment your fine motor skills!
These are our favorite ways to explore play dough to help strengthen fine motor skills (all through play!)
Play Dough + Scissors
Using safety scissors (scissors with no blades) with play dough is the BEST way to work on beginning cutting skills.
Roll the play dough into a "snake shape" or leave it in a ball. Just the simple act of rolling the dough is also 10/10 for working those hands and fingers!!
When they are cutting, practice holding the scissors up. The thumb should face up and the elbow should be down by their side. We sing: "Open shut, open shut, that's the way we cut, cut, cut!"
Play Dough + Rollers
Any type of roller added into your dough is going to work on a TON of skills!
While they are rolling the dough, they are working on balance, coordination of both sides of the hands and hand-eye-coordination. They are also learning the impact of force and pressure. If you push too hard, it breaks through the dough. If you push too softly, it won't make an impact.
They are also a fun way to explore texture!
Play Dough + Tongs/Tweezers
Run to your kitchen and grab the tongs and toss them onto the play dough tray!!
Here the kids are pulling and picking out "seeds" from a sunflower, but you don't have to set this up for it to be effective! Give them some dough, some trinkets and a pair of tongs and let them play!
Tongs can be a challenge for kids, that's OK! They are problem solving, working on frustration tolerance and learning to adapt. While they do all those big things, they are also working on hand strengthening, precision and hand-eye coordination!
Play Dough + a Safety Knife
Play Dough is a GREAT way to explore lessons in life-skills. This knife is plastic and soft- there is not sharp edge- and it is perfect to use for learning the coordination of cutting.
Play Dough + Animals
The creative energy that flows with simple materials is unmatched! What will the animals do? Will they stomp through the dough? Will the smoosh it or push it? Will they make tracks across the dough? Will they meet each other? Like each other? Be friends and play with each other?
There is SO much good happening here! They are strengthening their fingers and hands AND they are using their imagination. They are enhancing language skills AND learning about animals. They are releasing energy AND working on concentration and focus.
Play Dough + a Roller
Pizza anyone? These plastic rollers are so great to add into your play dough rotation! They work their fingers and hands and are also excellent for strengthening their grip. This will be necessary when they are holding a pencil and beginning the writing process!
Using the roller in play dough creates a bit of natural resistance, which works the hands even more, getting them ready for big tasks!
Play Dough + Loose Parts
Loose parts is a fancy word for anything small that you can use to build, create, or smoosh into play dough.
Loose parts can be Pom Poms, Legos or googly eyes. They can also be wooden pieces, plastic animals or sparkly gems. They can be anything you have lying around your home or in your junk drawer!
Look at my daughter's fingers in the above picture; they are naturally moving into the pincer grasp. The pincer grasp is what you use to comfortable hold, grip and use a pencil. By smooshing small loose parts into play dough, she is naturally working on that form and strengthening the muscles she will need to eventually hold a pencil and write!
Play Dough + Cookie Cutters
Does anyone want a play dough cookie? Look through your kitchen and grab a few cookie cutters. Let them smoosh and wiggle out stars or hearts or whatever you have! They are a great way to work on hand grip, control, hand-eye coordination and overall strength in the hands.
It is also such a fun way to add imaginative play into your day!
Here is another list of ways to use play dough to strengthen motor skills and enhance learning + play!
Roll the dough in between your hands and make a ball.
Roll the dough with the palm of your hand on a flat surface to make a ball.
Roll the dough between your thumb and pointer finger.
Roll the dough into a ball and make a pinch pot.
Roll the dough into a snake and swirl it around to look like a cinnamon bun.
Smoosh plastic or wooden letters, numbers or shapes into the dough.
Roll three separate balls of dough. Hide a small item in one of the balls. Have your child search for the hidden item!
Roll the dough into snakes and use them to form letters, numbers or shapes.
Materials:
1 cup flour
1 cup water
1/4 cup salt
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
5-10 drops food coloring (optional)
5-8 drops essential oil (optional)
Step 1: Pour all ingredients (except essential oil, if using) into a pan.
Step 2: Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently.
Step 3: When it forms a ball, remove from pan.
Step 4: After it cools, knead well (add essential oils now, if using).
Step 5: Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months!
A Play Filled Life Tips:
Squirt your food coloring into your water & stir before pouring into the pan.
Mix slowly & consistently to incorporate all of the ingredients together.
You can also experiment with spices to add an extra layer of sensory goodness to your dough! Try cinnamon, cocoa powder or apple pie spice.
It is normal to see salt crystalize on the dough. Knead it back in before use. If you see mold, throw away immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What kind of flour do you use for play dough?
White, all-purpose flour works best for homemade play dough. Using whole-wheat flour may alter the color and texture of your dough.
What is creme of tartar?
Cream of tartar is used to prolong the shelf-life of the dough, as well as help to create a silky-smooth texture. If you do not have COT, substitute the same amount of either white vinegar or lemon juice.
What does the salt do in the dough?
Salt is an important ingredient in play dough and should not be eliminated.
It acts as a preservative, making the dough last longer.
It adds texture to the dough.
When combined with oil and cream of tartar, it creates a super soft and moldable play dough.
What oil should be used?
Oil is used to improve the play doughs texture and consistency.
You can use anything that you have: vegetable oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, olive oil.
Storage:
Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Check out these variations of our classic play dough!
You get to decide what is safe and manageable in your home. Always monitor young children.
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