It has been over the last week or so that I brought you two instructional posts on how to colour pasta (the quick and easy way) and another where I shared my go-to playdough recipe. For a bit of fun I decided to combine both of these and create a wonderful invitation to play with pasta and playdough. This kept Possum (2.5 years) busy for ages!
Recommended Age: 2 + (I always recommend active supervision of children during play)
Setting up your invitation to play
Don’t be afraid to keep things simple with this idea. Use whatever playdough you have previously made (or bought) and grab whatever pasta you can spare from the kitchen pantry. It isn’t necessary to colour your pasta for this play, that’s completely optional, it just adds a visual element to the play.
Possum needed very little encouragements and instinctively knew what she was expected to do in this invitation to play with pasta and playdough. It was wonderful to observe her poke, press, sprinkle, bang, scrape and make conscious choices to arrange and rearrange the where she wanted the different pasta types.
Learning through play
This invitation to play creates many great opportunities for children to learn, without them even realising it. It was clear during this play that Possum was –
- developing fine motor skills and building general hand strength
- sensing various textures with the playdough and pasta varieties
- language development and working towards consolidating her understanding of colours
- creativity
- experimentation
- imagination
- opportunities to reflect and modify outcomes
- and much more!
Drawing on her previous understandings, Possum began imagining that her playdough was different things. At one point it was a ‘big mountain’ and used the pasta as the trees and dirt. Another time she created a monster ‘but not a scary monster’ (apparently). LOL
I highlight recommend that you give this invitation to play with pasta and playdough a go with your children. It was great fun and we will absolutely be doing it again in the future.
Do you think your child would enjoy this activity?
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Daughter and 3 years son… i am always busy and I ‘ll play with them I always concerned about the mess or the cleanliness of the house.. I only play with them if we will go out in open Air…. I think I am not giving the chance to them to be creative… that is why I love your ideas and how you create a creative environment for your jeweled rose I will try from now on to play more with them…. Thank you for your great website.
Hi Riem. I totally get it. I can really be put off mess too so you’re not alone. I do like to do activities outside where clean up feels much easier. I do think that sometimes we can expect mess when it really isn’t actually that difficult to clean up. Don’t feel bad about it though. I think if you’re making any kind of effort to play with your child (indoors or out) it’s valuable. Thanks for your comment Riem. 🙂