In my last blog post, I mentioned how you can occupy your preschoolers with various activities during your school days. One of the suggestions that I gave was to let your child play with edible playdough. Playdough is a great activity and it builds motor skills, helps develop creativity, and encourages imaginative play. Before we get to the Playdough and Clay recipes, I want to introduce some very fun and inexpensive (yet very messy) activities for your preschooler.
First, one of the best fingerpaints any preschooler can experience is pudding! Yes, that’s right, pudding. This is the perfect activity for the preschooler who is sitting quietly in their high chair while you are busy educating the older students. Chocolate, Vanilla, Tapioca homemade or store bought, your preschooler/toddler will love to paint with pudding. The best part is that you don’t have to worry about the paints going into his or her mouth. However, make sure that your little one has already had their lunch and snack, otherwise, they may eat too much pudding.
For an easy Playdough recipe combine 1 C. of flour with 1 C. of water and add ½ C. salt. Mix and knead all of the ingredients until it is a good consistency. If the mix feels to wet or sticky, add more flour. Not only is this a great dough for kids, but also you can let the creations air dry and save them. For a play clay that can be reused and stores well, visit the Family Fun Blog.
Another great dough for toddlers/preschoolers is Peanut Butter dough. This dough is easy to remember: 1C. Peanut Butter (creamy is best for little ones), 1C. Powdered milk, 1 C. Honey, and 1 C. Oatmeal. Again, you don’t have to worry too much if the little ones eat as much as they play with. Combine all ingredients, mix thoroughly, and let your little one play until their heart’s content.