Uku me te Poikere Clay and Playdough

Banner Image

Clay & Playdough | Uku me te Poikere

Clay and playdough are safe, soothing materials which provide children with a great sense of security and opportunity to be creative and expressive.

about-block-image-1about-block-image-1

Learning and Development

  • Activities such as squeezing, pressing, poking and patting help children develop coordination and stimulate brain development, strengthening neural connections in the brain.

  • Engaging in tactile play exercises hand and finger muscles which is crucial for developing fine motor skills. 

  • Pretend play such as mimicking food preparation and using props to cook, nurtures important social skills. It encourages children to role play, cooperate and express themselves creatively.

  • Introducing textures, colours and smells adds to the sensory experience. Teachers often create playdough with different sensory properties, prompting engaging discussions.

  • Children explore with various tools and materials during sensory play, extending their creativity and imagination. Items like animals, rocks, and fences are added to encourage open-ended exploration.

  • As children engage with playdough or clay, they make decisions and solve problems about what to create. This encourages critical thinking and planning.

  • While manipulating dough or clay, children naturally explore concepts like weight, shape, and force. This introduces basic maths and science principles such as measurement and physical properties.

  • Sensory experiences activate brain connections, helping children learn to use their senses actively to understand and interact with the world around them.

Download PDF

How clay & playdough relates to the primary school curriculum

Continuing Learning at Home

  • Make playdough together:
    Creating playdough from scratch is an excellent activity for children to explore colour, texture and smell as you make the dough. 

  • Enhance play with tools:
    Add child sized tools such as rolling pins, tongs, stamps, cookie cutters and garlic presses to extend play. A toy stove, oven and cutlery can also spark imaginative play, allowing children to role play family activities. 

  • Setting up a useable space:
    Set up a clay station with softened lumps of clay and a material like hessian underneath to keep it in place. Keep water nearby to keep the clay moist and easy to mould and have supporting tools within easy reach. 

  • Add in collage materials:
    Introduce natural materials such as seeds, sticks and leaves so children can decorate and personalise their clay creations.
about-block-image-1about-block-image-1
Ready to find a centre?Explore our centres located throughout NZ!
Ready to find a centre?
Lightbox Close Icon

Book a visit

Dropdown Icon
Dropdown Icon
Lightbox Close Icon

Enquire now

Radio Checked
Email
Radio Checked
Phone
Checkbox Unchecked
I consent for BestStart to contact me relating to enrolment
Checkbox Unchecked
I consent for BestStart to contact me relating to enrolment and for marketing purposes.