Developing those finger muscles!
Playdough can be made very easily using “ingredients” that you have at home and this simple activity has many benefits. Before children can hold a pen and learn to write, they need to strengthen and learn to control the muscles in their hands and playdough is the perfect activity to exercise little fingers.
Basic playdough Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups plain flour
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ½ cup table salt
- 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar
- up to 1½ cups boiling water – This part is for an adult!!
- food colouring (optional)
What to do:
- Mix the flour, salt and oil in a large bowl.
- If you’re using food colouring, add it to the boiling water then pour into the flour mixture adding bit by bit and stirring it together to form a sticky dough.
- Allow it to cool down then take out of the bowl and knead it for a couple of minutes until the stickiness has gone.
- At this point you can also add a few drops of essential oil or other aromas such as herbs and spices.
To keep the figures that they make, bake in the oven on a medium heat for approximately one hour and the play dough will harden!
Add a selection of tools from around your home such as small world figures, a rolling pin, cookie cutters, cupcake cases, safety scissors, a child’s knife and fork or even a garlic press!
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