Preview draft. Activities have not been tested with caregivers.
Learning · The activity desk
Playdough pretend tools
Shape pretend tools from playdough and talk about their uses.
Let's play →
A little plan for play
Open interactive activity →Add to play journal →What you need
A large portion of age-appropriate playdough and a washable surface
Age: 3–5 years; choose for the individual child.
Stay with the child throughout. Check the space and supplies, including anything within reach of younger siblings. Skip any activity that is unsuitable. Stop if a child puts non-food material in their mouth or becomes distressed. Use intact books, full sheets of paper, a large child-appropriate crayon and a clean, dry towel. Follow product labels; remove torn paper and keep broken crayons and caps away from children. Adult handles and stores supplies.
Set up: An adult checks dough ingredients for allergies and places it on the surface.
Adult's role: Help shape the dough and explain that real tools are handled by adults or with adult guidance.
Let's make it happen
- Roll a thick handle and press a wider shape onto one end to make a pretend hammer.
- Use a finger to draw details, then name the tool and describe a job it can do.
- Reshape the dough into a different pretend tool and tell a building story.
Make it simpler: Roll one large dough shape and pretend it is a tool handle.
Clean up: Put dough away out of reach of children and pets; wash hands and the surface.
For ages 3 and up with close adult supervision. Playdough is not food; prevent tasting and check ingredients for allergies. Keep it away from pets.