The past several weeks I have dropped the ball on all of my posts about benefits of play. Different things have just kept my focus and energy else where. Today I though I would spend a little time explaining the importance and benefits of playing with playdough.
Playdough is sometimes messy, sometimes hard to keep kids from mushing colors together for a big blah look, or keeping the containers from being hidden away by other little hands not interested in playing woth those who are using the playdough. It can get smooshed in carpets and such, but the thing is as much as playdough can seem like a real hassle or waste of money it really is one of the greatest pre-k learning/teaching tools.
When kids play with playdough they are constantly using their fine motor skills. Depending on the toys they use with the playdough they also strengthen their gross motor skills too. The more they exercise those muscles the more helpful it will be for when they are learning to write or draw, and even be less messy eaters, and much more. Hand eye coordination is also exercised when using fine/gross motor skills.
Using playdough is great for literacy skills. You and your child can roll and mold playdough into letters of the alphabet, numbers, and shapes. With all different bright colors of playdough you can also help with color recognition.
Playdough is great for sensory play and relaxation. Folding, squishing, molding, bright colors, and even the smell. Sensory play help children be calmer and more focused when breaking down in their minds new concepts.
Playdough is great for creativity and speech development. Some really great conversations and stories can come from just free playdough time. Children get to stretch their imaginations and have fun relaying what they have created. Those with speech delays have fun with explaining what they want to see or what they want to create.
Playdough is a great tool for emotional development. Sometimes they do better explaining themselves through artistic outoets. They do better building and showing adults what they are feeling than using their words.
Tips for helping playdough last are first I always keep playdough in a air tight plastic container so it helps it not dry out. Also I give my kid one color at a time. He can change out the colors as much as he wants, but it lasts longer than a free for all mixed color mess. Now as the playdough is towards the end of it's peek play texture and I plan on tossing it out soon than I let my kid have at it. If a playdough container goes missing I always at or the playdough in a ziplock bag and then also in the bigger plastic air tight container and it lasts longer. Sometimes I can add a some water to it and work water into it to get it soft again, but usually I will do that if we have not had a new one for very long.
What ways can you think of that I missed for how important playdough is for young kids?
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