1. ABCs: Have the child make the letters of the alphabet using play dough. You can begin with the uppercase letters and move on to the lowercase letters. Challenge the child to make something associated with a letter of the alphabet.
2. Math: The child can make numbers using the play dough. Instruct the child to make dots or something simple to act as counters out of the play dough. If you have time the child can make something more detailed. With simple play dough dots you can use them as counters to teach counting, addition, and subtraction.
3. Colors: Have the child recognize the color of the play dough and make something from the dough that is of that color.
4. Shapes: Rolling the play dough in long strips makes it easy to create circles, squares, rectangles, diamonds and more shapes. If you have cookie cutters of shapes those will be useful. In addition, challenge the child to make a house out of the shapes she has created.
5. Listening Skills: Have two children sit back to back. Give each the same colors and amount of play dough. Have one make a creation and then instruct the other child how to make it. The trick is the child making it will not be able to see the creation the other child made. One must explain correctly and the other must listen.
6. Layers of the Moon: For an older preschooler making layers of the moon using play dough is fun!
7. Map Making: Use play dough to make a map of the neighborhood. You can make it 2D or 3D.
8. Mixing Primary and Secondary Colors: Allow the child to explore colors by mixing different colors of play dough to come up with new colors. Children will love to finally be able to mix the colors!
9. Fine Motor Skills: Use play dough to teach fine motor skills by encouraging children to use it as it was intended for: rolling and kneading it. They can pretend they are baking bread.