Activity Introduction

Play with something squishy and colourful – flatten it out, roll it into a circle, roll it into a line, make a dinosaur, make a snowman or even a dog. 

Safety advice: Using the kitchen can be very dangerous, and making the playdough does require some stovetop activity. Supervise or lead the first part of this activity.

Most kids will need support to complete this activity.

Ideal for: Early Learning Ages 3 – 4

Themes: 

  • get messy 
  • playtime 
  • chill time
  • be creative 

Time required: 25 minutes 

Curriculum connections: Design and Technologies, The Arts, Critical and Creative Thinking

Lesson & Curriculum Details

Curriculum codes:

Resources Required

  • Bowl for mixing
  • Cream of tartar, 2 teaspoons
  • Food dye
  • Mixing spoon
  • Olive or vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon
  • Plain flour, 1 ½ cups
  • Salt, ½ cup
  • Saucepan
  • Water, 1 cup or as needed

 

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[email protected] resources are designed for parents and teachers to use with children in the home environment. They can be used as stand-alone activities or built into existing curriculum-aligned learning programs. Our [email protected] series includes two types of resources. The first are fun and challenging real-world activities for all ages, the second are self-directed lessons for upper primary and secondary students. These lessons support independent learning in remote or school settings.

Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.

Worksheets

Student Worksheet

Playdough! - Activity Instructions

Play with something squishy and colourful - flatten it out, roll it into a circle, roll it into a line, make a dinosaur, make a snowman or even a dog. 

Safety advice: Using the kitchen can be very dangerous, and making the playdough does require some stovetop activity. Supervise or lead the first part of this activity.

Part A: Make The Playdough

Step 1. Combine the dry ingredients together in the bowl. Set aside.

Step 2. Over a low heat, mix the oil with the water. Then add the dry ingredients and mix well. 

Step 3. Cook, stirring, over a low to medium heat until a dough starts to form. 

Step 4. Take off the heat. Decide how many colours you want, then split the mixture. For example, if you want red and blue playdough, split the mixture in half.

Step 5. Put some food dye into each mixture as desired. Food dye is strong, so be careful to just mix a few drops in and see how you like it before adding more. 

Step 6. Knead the dough out onto t

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