Ten ways to use Play-Doh

Play-Doh is a fun, everyday play activity for many children. As a Children’s Occupational Therapist I use it in many ways as part of my sessions with children and young people and I’d like to share some of the activities I do with you.

  1. To help develop scissors skills: roll flat with a small rolling pin and mark a shape in the Doh using the edge of a ruler: this might be a square or rectangle etc. Use the scissors to cut out your shapes. This is easier than cutting paper and a good introduction to using scissors.

  2. To encourage using both hands in play: make a Play-Doh monster by squashing the Play-Doh over your thumb. Add googly eyes. Your monster can ‘dance’ along to some music or can become a character in your play!

  3. To help a child use cutlery: make their favourite meal using Play-Doh. This might include rolling a sausage, making a flat pancake or using finger and thumb tips to roll some peas. Place these on a plate and practice holding and cutting the food using a knife and fork. 

  4. To help develop spatial awareness: roll sausages of Doh and make or copy simple shapes e.g. horizontal, diagonal and vertical lines or circles and crosses. These are all pre-writing shapes.

  5. Develop this idea to use the Play-Doh sausages to make letters and numbers.

  6. Make a Play-Doh sausage into a number shape. Then use the scissors or a knife and fork to cut that number into that number of pieces, e.g. a number 7 cut into 7 pieces!

  7. Word building: create a flat piece of Doh and use the edge of a ruler to make a horizontal line in it. Press magnetic letters into the Doh to make words.

  8. Hide small pegs or toys in a whole pot of play Doh. Ask the child to find the treasure using both hands to pull the Doh apart: really great for strengthening those hand muscles. 

  9. Make your own Doh! Using food colouring, glitter or essential oils to suit your child. This will keep nicely in a sealed container for some time!

  10. Opening and closing the pots (which can be stiff) and scooping out the Doh are equally important parts of the Play-Doh experience as they support the development of hand strengthening and using both hands together in a task. If needed you can start the process off by loosening the lid!

Play alongside your child and go with their ideas and suggestions: you never know where it might take you! If they see you having fun, this will encourage everyone’s creativity and enjoyment.

Rachel White
Occupational Therapist

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