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Number Play Dough

We had so much fun making numbers with our Orange Scented Play Dough.  It is a fun activity to introduce or reinforce learning about numbers for kids and develop an understanding of ‘how many’ to make a number.

This activity involves manipulating play dough to create numbers using the Printable Number Play Dough Mats as a guide.

What you will need?

You will need a blob of play dough, Printable Number Mats, number cookie cutters (optional), rolling pin and plastic knife.

I have laminated the Number Mats to make them last longer.

To download and print the Number Mats click here :  Printable Number Play Dough Mats

Let’s Play 

Miss 22 months rolling the play dough between the palms of her hands to create a ‘sausage like’ shape and then creating the shape of the number using the  Number Mats as a guide.

Let’s Learn 

Once the number shape is made, roll out a flat piece of play dough using the rolling pin and press the number cookie cutter corresponding to the number mat into the play dough to make that many of the number. In this case we put the number two cookie cutter into the play dough to make 2 number twos, as seen in the photo below.

Place the play dough numbers over the top of the pictures on the Number Mats to create ‘how many’ that number is made up of.

Miss 22 months only made one number with me before playing with the play dough by herself and Miss 4 also created a line of numbers using the tools provided for this activity.   It is also important to allow the freedom to play, experiment and explore with the play dough and after each activity this is encouraged.

The Number Play Dough activity is great for……

  • Spatial awareness – experimenting with shape and space
  • Eye and hand coordination
  • Fine motor development
  • Recognising numbers and how many to make the number.

Alphabet Play Mats

Printable Alphabet Play dough Mats

We also have Alphabet Play Dough Mats which you can download and print!

 
Click on the image to view the full post.

13 thoughts on “Number Play Dough”

  1. This is so fantastic. My son loves “maths games” as he calls them and this will be right up his alley. Thanks so much for sharing a free printable too! We are going to have fun with this during the week. Thank you!

  2. I love your site – colourful, vibrant and full of creative ideas for early childhood education! Thank you for including the resources for easy downloading, e.g. play dough number mats, number fact cards etc.
    I feel so glad to have found you – THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!

  3. I have a question? I am new to this and I have just recently began an in-home daycare. My question is would I have to print each child (5) a set of these numbers? What is your suggestion?

    1. Hi Kisha, I would only print one set of the Number Play Dough Mats and have them all available in the middle of the table for children to choose. If you were to be focusing on one number, such as the number 4 for someone’s birthday then maybe print enough copies for each child. The number play dough mats are made with the intention to be used as a work station activity but you are free to use them how ever best suits your children in care. Hope this helps 🙂

  4. Thanks so much for this. I am a retired teacher who passed on all her info and equipment to younger teachers when I left… Now I am starting a small playgroup for our local baby sanctuary where we take care of neglected and abused children and I need whatever help I can get! A lesson for younger teachers: KEEP your things! You never know when you will need them!

    I am truly grateful for your hard work in creating this website.

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Picture of Hi and welcome to Learning 4 Kids!

Hi and welcome to Learning 4 Kids!

My name is Janice and I am an Early Childhood Teacher in Australia.

I have a strong passion and love for teaching and creating meaningful learning experiences for my students. What I love most is watching children discover in those amazing light bulb moments. I hope Learning4kids brings you some useful ideas.

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