Best Play Dough Ideas

Here are the most popular play dough ideas from my 20 years of caring for young children. Play dough creates perfect learning activities for 2 to 5-year-olds.

I have introduced many 1-year-olds to play dough, but it does take training for them not to mouth it, which some 2-year-old have to go through too.

I've found that the most effective way to help them break the habit of eating play dough is to focus on what they should be doing, i.e., "use your hands to play with it", teaching them how to pretend to eat play dough away from their mouths and packing away the activity if they continue to eat it. Using homemade play dough offers peace of mind in case an odd piece gets swallowed. 

Did you know that many of these play dough ideas are pre-writing activities? Simply playing with play dough strengthens the muscles in their hands. These activities develop hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills, which enable them to use their hands successfully. 

Play Dough Pieces in Small Containers 

Many toddlers and preschoolers love this simple play dough idea. 

I tend to roll balls of play dough out of habit. Some little ones copy me after seeing it done many times. Most pick random shaped pieces from the play dough. A few especially like to roll out sausage or worm shapes. I see all options as creative expressions. 

I've found transferring tiny objects in small containers beneficial for 1, 2 and 3-year-old preschool activities. I've provided tiny stainless steel condiment bowls, cupcake/muffin cases (silicone is best), and small plastic containers at different times (just avoid those with tiny gaps, as you'll never get the play dough out).

Sticking in Sticks Play Dough Ideas

Craft supply sticks create enjoyable indoor activities for young children. Just avoid small sticks while they are still in the mouth-everything phase. Make sure that the sticks don't have sharp ends. 

A rolling pin to create a flat surface to stick the sticks into is ideal. However, pushing the play dough down with your hand or a large lid can work too. 

Mark Making Play Dough Ideas

These are some of the most versatile play dough ideas available. Simply using fingers can make great mark-making tools while providing a bonus sensory experience. 

I have provided dolly pegs (often found with craft supplies), napkin rings, shells, wooden eggs (again from craft suppliers), wooden curtain rings (without the hooks), dried pasta, straw pieces, safe sticks, blunt plastic clay-cutting tools, and of course, cookie cutters. Other options are textured rolling pins, child forks , or blocks from shape sorters (just avoid those with holes where play dough might get stuck).

Cutting Play Dough Ideas

The blunt plastic clay-cutting tools could create great cutting play dough activities for 3-year-olds. I've provided child-safe scissors with play dough, back before I had a camera in my pocket. 

Above is a play knife from a wooden toy fruit/vegetable set that sticks together with Velcro. Metal child knives or blunt butter knives could create more play dough ideas. 

Play Dough Mat 

Unfortunately , I don't have any photos of this mat without it being covered in play dough, and I left it with the family I worked for at the time. I'll do my best to describe this play dough mat, which offers great learning activities for 3-year-olds. 

I drew, cut out, and glued down silhouette pictures made from different colored card or paper onto both sides of white copy paper, and then laminated it. One side featured a worm, butterfly, and shapes of a bud, stem, and petals . The other side included a brown circle cut from a food cardboard box and a plain face created from a brown paper bag. 

This is a flexible play dough idea where you can create any mat that play dough pieces could be added to. If you don't have a laminator, you could use something like sticky-back or contact paper. 

Number Mat 

Having hands-on experience with the quantity of numbers is an important preschool activity, however I introduce it from 1 or 2-year-olds. This mat is great for all the play dough ideas above too. Click through if you would like instructions on how to make this Math Play Mat. 

DIY Play Dough Recipe

I have used various homemade play dough recipes over the years, and I have a firm favorite. For many years, I have been following The Imagination Tree's Best Ever No-cook Play Dough Recipe.

I have never felt the need to add any food dye, and no one has ever mentioned it, let alone complained. I personally think the neutral shade makes the play dough creations pop. Anna does explain how to add color on her recipe page, though. I usually halve the recipe, which has always been plenty for the one child I made it for at a time. 

Explore more Learning Activities for 2-Year-Olds and Pre-School Activities for 3-Year-Olds, click the links.