3 Creative Ideas
Three different ideas for playing with goop and play dough!
you'll need 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: 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: 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.
