This month, the children in Toddler 1 at RisingOaks | St. Patrick were eager to dive into a hands-on sensory experience, exploring the world of pretend play through the creative process of making playdough. With their growing interest in the kitchen area and all things imaginative, we set the stage for an exciting group activity: creating a variety of coloured playdough, starting with the classic black!

As the children gathered around the table where the ingredients were laid out, Rahiya was the first to show curiosity, pointing at the bag of flour and asking, “What’s that?” Arcely responded with a warm smile, “It’s flour. We’re going to make playdough today! Would you like to help?” Rahiya beamed and immediately replied, “Yes!”

Once everyone had settled in, Arcely began the activity by introducing the ingredients. She scooped a cup of flour and invited the children to take part. Andi and Dino were quick to volunteer, eagerly shouting, “Me!” Andi carefully poured the flour, while Dino helped scrape the remaining flour with a spatula.

Ripley dove right into the sensory experience, dipping his hands into the flour and squeezing it between his fingers. When Eria asked how it felt, Ripley remained focused on his exploration, enjoying the texture deeply. As the activity progressed, salt and cream of tartar were added to the bowl, and the children took turns stirring. Rahiya mixed for a moment before passing the bowl to Renzo and Seren, while Hélène and Adalynn waited patiently for their turn to participate.

The fun continued as Arcely added black paint, water, and oil to the mixture, and the children eagerly watched the dough begin to form. As the dough thickened, Arcely invited the children to knead the sticky mixture. Andi enthusiastically smashed the dough with a spatula, while Ripley and Dino stretched and kneaded it with their fingers. Renzo used a teaspoon to press into his dough, and Hélène got creative by tearing his dough into small pieces and pretending to cook with them in a little pot.

This playdough-making activity was a wonderful opportunity for the children to develop in multiple areas. Through activities like scooping, pouring, mixing, and kneading, the children honed their fine motor skills. They also explored cause and effect, observing how the different ingredients came together to create something new. The activity supported early math concepts as they practiced measuring, while the collaborative nature of the activity encouraged teamwork, social skills, and creativity. Questions were asked, turns were taken, and the children’s confidence blossomed as they engaged in pretend cooking together.

The activity not only helped to develop practical skills but also provided space for each child to express themselves creatively and confidently in a group setting, making it a truly memorable and enriching experience.