Play Dough & Buttons

It is always fun to watch and see what kids will come up with when you give them simple props to promote play in an open-ended and unstructured way.  There are no rules, no right or wrong……just fun, with a whole lot of learning happening.

This entertained the kids for hours!

What you will need?

An invitation to play – Here I have set up our activity table with play dough, and buttons to inspire the imagination and creativity.  Other play dough equipment such as a kiddy safe knife and a rolling pin are also great for this activity.

A printable play dough recipe is available here: How to make play dough?

Let’s Play

The creative ideas and the imagaination for playing with buttons and play dough is endless.  Here is Miss 2 placing the buttons into the play dough standing up and flat ways.  Also creating imprints in the play dough with the different shape buttons.

Let’s Create 

Miss 2 loves to stretch and pull the play dough apart; here she has then squished the buttons into the small balls of play dough.

Another fun activity to try with the play dough and buttons is placing a ball of play dough on top of the buttons and rolling it out flat with a rolling pin.  It is fun to lift the flattened play dough up to see what has happened underneath.

Let’s Learn 

Miss 2 utilising all the equipment on the table: here she has made a play dough and button cake using the bowls the buttons were first placed in at the start of the activity.

The Learning benefits:

• Self-expression
• Imagination and creativity
• Building and strengthening fine motor skills
• Eye and hand coordination
• Problem solving – using play dough to join parts together
• Social interactions

 Other button activities here on learning4kids:

Sorting Buttons (Click on the image to read more)

*Please supervise children around small objects*