We understand that your lives are busy and what we all want is more time to utilize either as "me time" or time to keep little hands occupied so that you can get dinner prepared. Forget the TV -- this is a job for PLAY-DOH modeling compound! Try these creative playtime activities and learning aids at home, in the car, or on the go. For more tips on how to make some of the items below, go to our Fresh Ideas! page. Is your child having a bad day? Encourage openness and shared feelings with this together-time activity. Help your child make a face out of PLAY-DOH compound and make the expression that matches how your child is feeling: sad, angry, scared, shy, etc… Discuss with your child why they are feeling that way and what can be done to turn that t PLAY-DOH face - and their own - into a smiling one.
Back to top Roll balls using different colors of PLAY-DOH compound and count them with your child. Then ask your child to count the number of green, red, etc. Once your child has mastered counting, try teaching basic addition and subtraction skills.
Back to top Make a tic tac toe grid using PLAY-DOH compound. Then makes Xs and Os, or your own imaginative creations, to use as game pieces.
Back to top Is your child afraid of "monsters" under the bed? A neighborhood dog? Or even household spiders? Whatever the culprit, ask your child to make the thing that scares them using PLAY-DOH compound. Play along with your child as you both say, "Go away monster (dog, spider, etc...)! And don't come back until (your child's name) says so!" Have them squish their creation for added affect.
Back to top Pack some small-sized cans of PLAY-DOH compound for your next trip. When your child - or even the child across the isle – gets fussy, pass out the PLAY-DOH for a little onboard entertainment.
Back to top PLAY-DOH compound is just as much fun outside as it is inside. When it's time for a creative activity, but you don't want to waste the day, take the fun outdoors! Set up shop on the picnic table and watch the creative juices start to flow. Try using a plastic tablecloth for quick and easy cleanup.
Back to top Does your child have a play kitchen, grill or workbench? Help them make pretend food and tools that they can use along with ones they already have. The possibilities are endless when preparing a "meal" out of PLAY-DOH compound. Kids can also have fun hammering and "fixing" their PLAY-DOH creations.
Back to top Let's face it. Both kids and their parents can catch cabin fever on cold, rainy days when going outside isn't an option. Even the slickest battery-operated toys start to seem boring. But open up a few fresh cans of PLAY-DOH compound, and kids suddenly go from cranky to creative. Look for fun tips in the Fresh Ideas! gallery.
Back to top Taking your child to the doctor? Or home with the flu? Break open a fresh can of PLAY-DOH compound and create an animal, a smiling sun, or a tree -- anything to take your child's mind off of being sick. Keep a can in your car, purse, or backpack for your next trip to the pediatrician or the next time you bring your child home sick from school.
Back to top Are the kids fighting over their favorite toy, snack, or book? Distract them with PLAY-DOH modeling compound! Break out two cans (or three or four if you've got a full-scale brawl on your hands) and have each child create their own toy, snack, or character from the book. (To avoid more conflict, best to judge this little "contest" a tie and reward each kid with another can of PLAY-DOH compound.)
Back to top Tune out screen-based entertainment for a while. Challenge children to create a favorite character from the computer game they were playing or video they were watching.
Back to top While you're making dinner, sit your children at the kitchen table and have create the same meal out of PLAY-DOH modeling compound. See whose "meal" is finished faster and which one looks prettier, sillier, or more delicious. Try our Make A Meal Kitchen.
Back to top On long car trips, have your child observe different vehicles on the road, and create her "dream car" out of PLAY-DOH compound. Does it have wings? A swimming pool? Anything goes!
Back to top At the grocery store, your child can sit in the cart and use PLAY-DOH compound to create the meal he wants for dinner that night. Spark their imagination by showing them the different items you're putting in the cart. Fruits and vegetables are especially fun to mold You may even ask them to count how many oranges are in the bag and ask them to make the same amount of oranges out of PLAY-DOH compound.
Back to top After an outing to the playground, zoo, or store, have your child recreate the "story" of the adventure by making what she saw (animals, trees, people, etc.) out of PLAY-DOH compound.
Back to top Help your child understand potty training by having them create a mini-potty and a PLAY-DOH child. Show how the PLAY-DOH child learns to use the potty like a "big kid" and gets a reward when he or she is finished.
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