Let’s make pre-writing fun by learning with playdough!
If your kids are beginning to learn the alphabet and love playdough, they will love these easy ideas for learning with playdough.
How to MAKE LETTERS with playdough
Add an educational twist to your kids playing with playdough by incorporating these pre-writing activities using various tools.
Supplies needed to make playdough letters
- Playdough
- Roller
- Playdough or clay tools
- Items such as popsicle sticks, cookie cutters, and straws.
Our favorite tool to use is drinking straws. Sticking the straws into the playdough is a great sensory activity, and kids can make some pretty interesting creations this way.
My kids love activities with drinking straws. Previously, we’ve combined drinking straws with liquid glue to make sun catchers. My kids have had fun sticking them in my hair for a crazy up-do, and Toddler Approved has used them to make cardboard sailboats, to name just a few ideas.
Instructions for making playdough letters
First, use a roller to flatten out a piece of playdough on a flat surface. Now, let’s go through three different fun ways they can use the playdough to make letters or words.
Playdough letters with cookie cutters
Use cookie cutters of various sizes including uppercase and lower case to cut out letters. The kids can then move them around to make easy words including their name.
Playdough letters with tools
Use playdough or clay plastic tools to make letters in the flattened playdough. You might want to draw the letter first on a piece of paper so your child can try to copy it.
Playdough letters with straws
Cut straws to about one inch in length. If they are much longer they will be too easy to knock over, and your child will have a difficult time getting his or her hand into the area.
Show your child how to insert the straws.
Craft tip: For younger kids, you can use the playdough where the letter was made using tools and push the straws into the playdough over the top of each letter.
If you push the straws deeply enough you will have a fun, lacy pattern on the back of the playdough after they are removed.
Prep Time
5 minutes
Active Time
30 minutes
Total Time
35 minutes
Difficulty
easy
Estimated Cost
$10
Materials
- Playdough
- Cookie cutters
- Straws
- Playdough or clay tools
Instructions
- Use tools such as cookie cutters, playdough tools, and straws as pre-writing tools to make letters in playdough.
Notes
Make sure to cut the straws into 1-inch pieces for little fingers to handle, it will make it so much easier for them.
More LEARNING WITH PLAYDOUGH ACTIVITIES from Kids Activities Blog
Have you used playdough as a learning tool? What other items have you used with playdough?
