Two Minute Tuesday: Playdough and Small Manipulatives

Playdough and Small Manipulatives

Two Minute Tuesdays are made for quick, simple and fun activities. They don’t take many resources or much prep and provide lot of learning and exploration for little learners.

This week: Playdough and Small Manipulatives

EYFS Areas Developed:

  • Expressive Arts & Design: using a range of materials to create an effect, exploring texture
  • Communication & Language: describing objects, narrating their actions

Play dough is such a central part of our play, we use it at least a couple of times a week. If you make (or even buy) it in advance then it is always easy to pull out and create an activity from. And that’s exactly what I did with this activity!

I put a blob of play dough out and then set to work filling a silicone cake mould with whatever I could lay my hands on from around my home. Below is what I used but this activity is so flexible that most household bits and bobs can be used and it’ll still create a meaningful and engaging learning opportunity so feel free to experiment.

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Sophia’s (age 2.3yrs) eyes lit up when she saw everything set up and ‘wow!’ escaped her lips. She loved using all of the bits and pieces and narrated the whole activity by naming the different parts as well as telling me what she was making…cake, eyes, monster, car.

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I was impressed with how her fine motor skills have developed recently, she was able to push and manipulate the small parts well to create the effect she wanted.

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After a while she noticed the cupcake cases and asked for more playdough to make some cupcakes. She decorated them and even added a pasta candle before presenting myself and her little brother (age 5.5mths) with a cupcake each, providing great imaginative play.

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I have a feeling this activity will become one of our favourites to pull out and get creative with!

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If you enjoy playdough activities, take a look at my PLAYDOUGH Pinterest board. Follow Beth @ Wings and Roots’s board Playdough on Pinterest.

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