Creating a Molding Station

The benefits of play dough in the classroom

Play dough is one of those must haves in every early childhood classroom.  It is highly attractive to young children which leads to many  hours of creative play.

But play dough is so much more than just that, children learn as they manipulate the play dough.  Play dough enhances...

Social Skills:  such as sharing, taking turns, conflict negotiation and per interactions.

Language Development:  as children work together they listen, speak and understand the communication of others.

Building Fine Motor:  prepares children for writing and cutting.  Play dough builds their hand muscles as they squeeze, pinch, roll, pock and mold the dough.  

Math Concepts:  As children are molding play dough they are discussing and observing things like (bigger, smaller, longer, shorter, heavy, light).  If you add items to the play they are counting and identifying numbers.

Literacy Learning:  Children can roll and learn letter formation.  You can add paper and writing utensils so children can make signs for their play dough food.

The benefits of play dough are endless. 

Add open-ended items to the molding station and you will unleash children's imagination.

---

Add construction paper and scissors to the table and volcanoes are made.

---

Add pipe cleaners, buttons and beads and sculptures are created. 

---

By adding sticks, stones and floral stones, you will get creators of all kinds.  

---

Download your free copy of play dough letter and number mats

---

molding_letters.pdf
File Size:	16811 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

---