As a Kindergarten teacher, I’ve heard all sorts of opinions about classroom supplies, but one comment from a coworker really surprised me: “Playdough is a waste of classroom budget.” I mean, I couldn’t disagree more! I think that playdough is an important tool that we can offer our students and I’ll tell you why!
Playdough is a POWERHOUSE for fine motor development!
Seriously! When it comes to building fine motor skills, playdough is a superstar, making it such an important tool in the classroom! Squishing, rolling, flattening, and pinching all work to strengthen the small muscles in students’ hands, fingers, and wrists—those same muscles they’ll use for writing, cutting, and daily tasks.
Playdough also gives kids a chance to feel different textures, which helps them calm their bodies and stay focused. It’s a fun, hands-on way for students to build motor skills while also sparking their creativity and imagination. Win-win right?!
How to Incorporate Playdough into Your Classroom
Okay, so now that we know why playdough is such an important tool to support fine motor development, let’s talk about the fun part—how to use it with purpose in your classroom!
- Letter Formation: Have students practice making letters by shaping the dough into curves and lines. This reinforces letter recognition while strengthening hand muscles.
- Word Practice – Have students stamp vocabulary or sight words into playdough! What an engaging hands on learning opportunity!
- Math Practice: Use playdough to create numbers, count objects, or even roll it into shapes to teach geometric concepts. I love using playdough mats with numbers or shapes for this!
- Creativity Station: Set up a playdough station during centers where students can create whatever comes to mind. This open-ended play encourages creativity and problem-solving while allowing students to work on their motor skills.
Fine Motor Fun: Challenge students to use tools like rolling pins, scissors, or plastic knives to cut and shape the dough. These activities are perfect for working on dexterity, grip strength, and hand-eye coordination.
Have I sold you on the idea of playdough being such an important tool in the classroom? Or maybe you already agreed with me but now you can confidently tell others why it is so important? If you don’t already have playdough in your classroom, it’s time to add it to your must-have list. This simple, inexpensive tool offers so much value in terms of learning and development.
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