Three different ideas for playing with goop and play dough! Materials 1) Dragons in Lava Goop (2 parts cornstarch to 1 part water, food colouring- measuring cup, spoon) Dragon figurines Gems/ stones Container (a bin for underneath one’s bed is perfect for this!) Clean-up supplies (table cloth/ water basin/ rags etc.) 2) Party Picks in Play Dough Party Picks (You can buy these at party stores, Etsy etc.) Play Dough Toys, figurines, loose parts 3) Build a Shelter Play Dough Wooden Planks Figurines We always find these items useful too: Directions 1) Dragons in Lava Make your goop in a shallow container. The basic recipe is 2 parts cornstarch to 1 part water. However, if you find it too runny add more corn starch, too dry a little bit of water at a time. Stir it with a sturdy spoon! This is a perfect activity for outside which is easy to clean up. When children are playing with messy, sensory ideas, be sure to protect your surface and have some clean-up options prepared in advance and accessible! Once your goop is mixed, add your figurines and any other items that you might like. (Remember to think about the material of the items- for example wood is a bit porous and might absorb the food colouring and stain.) This is activity that often sustains play- enjoy! 2) Party Picks in Play Dough Make or purchase your play dough. Our favourite recipe is here: http://make-it-your-own.com/fall-fun-pumpkin-pie-playdough-gift-jar/. Add your party picks, giving some height to your play scape. We had a variety of stars from Justine Ma and Meri Meri, so my son wanted to create a space scene. The figurines that he used are available from Wild Republic. We added loose parts- marbles, bells etc. for him to manipulate. A shallow tray kept it all contained! 3) Build a Shelter Make or purchase your play dough. Our favourite recipe is here: http://make-it-your-own.com/fall-fun-pumpkin-pie-playdough-gift-jar/. We then used wooden planks for the kids to create a structure for their creatures. My youngest loves spiders, snakes etc. and my daughter bunnies- chose something that your child would connect to. Older children could do this activity with modelling clay/ plasticine! Purpose Having various sensory experiences. Strengthening one’s hand muscles- this is a great precursor to developing writing skills. Safety Notes We suggest that you use a tray and a smock to protect your clothing and surfaces. Small items can be a choking hazard, therefore be sure to keep them out of the reach of children ages 0-3 years of age or those that tend to put things into their mouths. Homemade play dough has a large salt content and is not intended for consumption so it is not recommended for children 0-3 years in age or those who tend to put items in their mouths/ consume items. Please like & share: Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Your email address will not be published. Name* Email* Website Comment Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email.
