Playdough: Put theory into
action
Practical instruction
You now understand what playdough is and how you can use it to teach various
language, mathematics and life skills. You also understand how useful it is for
developing fine motor skills and sensory skills.
Your task now is to make your own playdough and use it in your lessons.
Make your own playdough
Instructions for how to make dough have been emailed to you.
• Make sure there is enough playdough for all the learners.
• Make the playdough in a variety of different colours.
• Store the playdough in plastic containers with a tight seal (or the dough will dry
out).
• Add an essential oil (like lavender) to make scented playdough.
• Make playdough mats (or use old plastic cutting boards, like you use in the
kitchen).
Choose what you want to teach using the playdough. You can choose a language,
mathematics or visual arts activity.
Language
• Grade 1: Get learners to practise forming letters. They need to roll long snakes
from the playdough and use the snakes to form letters.
• Grades 2: Get learners to practise sight, conceptual or theme vocabulary.
Learners need to roll long snakes from the playdough and use these to form the
letters in the words.
• Grades 3: Read a story to the learners. Then let them make the characters from
playdough. They can retell the story using the characters they have made.
Mathematics
• Grade 1: Make playdough with your learners. Let them measure out the
ingredients using spoons, cups and measuring jugs. Encourage them to use the
mathematical language related to measuring.
• Grade 2: Give learners a ball of dough and have them follow instructions to make
3-dimensional solid shapes. Let them explore the properties of the shapes and
discuss these using mathematical language
• Grade 3: Give learners a ball of dough and have them follow instructions to make
3-dimensional frame shapes. Let them explore the properties of shapes using
their models. Encourage them to express themselves using mathematical
language.
Life skills (visual arts)
• Grade 1: Let learners make models of items and objects from topics that are
being explored in life orientation, such as 'My body' or 'Clothes'.
• Grade 2: Print an image that is related to the week's topic onto A4 paper and
laminate it. Make one for every learner. Learners can use playdough to fill in the
details.
• Grade 3: Let learners use playdough to create 3-dimensional models. Let them
decorate their artwork with beads, sequence, pipe cleaners and so on.
The benefits of playdough
Session conclusion
Learners can use playdough to mould letters, shapes and models, thus developing
learners' language, mathematics and visual literacy skills, and also developing their
senses and fine motor skills.
• Playdough, is extremely versatile and should be a staple resource in the
Foundation Phase classroom.
• It's easy to make and can be kept for a long time if stored correctly.
• It stimulates the sense of touch.
• As children roll, pinch, push and mould the dough, the small muscles in their
hands and fingers develop.
• Learners enjoy playing with playdough and there are numerous activities that you
can introduce.
Playdough activities can help learners develop:
• fine motor skills
• bilateral co-ordination skills
• sensory skills
• mathematical concepts, including properties of 3-dimensional shapes, and solid
and frame shapes
• communication skills
• the language of learning
• creative expression
• verbal expression
• handwriting
Remember to use mats to keep tables and other surfaces clean, and to stop dirt getting
stuck in the dough.
