We are loving homemade play dough kits – after the success of our mermaid play dough kit that we gave out at Miss G’s mermaid birthday party, I knew that putting together some Christmas play dough kits for the kids would be a hit!
I love creating homemade play dough kits that offer several ways to play and enjoy the gift. By including open-ended materials that children can imagine and re-use in many different ways, you can facilitate hours of play with a simple kit!
Materials to Make Your Own Christmas Play Dough Kit
Double batch of play dough, divided in four, coloured and scented
Any open-ended mix-ins you have on hand: pipe cleaners, googly eyes, pom poms, coloured rice or barley, etc.
Cookie cutters
If giving as a gift, include a note with how to make more homemade play dough so the parents can replace the play dough when it is all done – and also, to check for allergens
We used peppermint scent for the green (pine would also be nice if you could find something gentle on hands), cinnamon extract for the red play dough, vanilla for the white, and a blend of nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger for the brown “gingerbread” play dough.
These play dough kits make a great homemade gift, and while I sent one home with each of my daycare kids, I also presented all of the components on a tray (Montessori even with play dough!) for an easy afternoon activity.
I loved watching how the children all interpreted the materials differently and came up with different ways to use them, engaging their creativity and fine motor muscles at the same time.
One child saw the opportunity to develop her pincer grip (essential for holding a pencil) by pushing the pipe cleaner into a mound of play dough, and then worked on her hand strength by rolling it out with a rolling pin.
One child very adeptly identified the gingerbread dough by smelling all of the doughs and calling on his scent memory to figure out what types of doughs were on offer. He then figured out how to use the other mix-ins to decorate his gingerbread man.
And of course, my little chef Miss G decided to play bake shop!
There are so many ways to play with this homemade Christmas play dough kit, and my kids just loved them – I hope yours do, too!
Check out these other fun Christmas busy bag ideas from my fellow kids’ activity bloggers:
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:
Christmas Tree Counting Fine Motor Activity // Sugar Aunts
Fine Motor and Color Sorting Christmas Trees // Teach Me Mommy
Christmas I Spy Bottle // The Pleasantest Thing
Christmas Tree Counting Number Cards // Modern Preschool
Christmas Playdough Kit // Study At Home Mama
Reusable Pom Pom Christmas Tree Busy Bag // Powerful Mothering
Free Printable Christmas Games // Life Over Cs
Free Gingerbread CVC Game // The Kindergarten Connection
DIY Christmas Tic Tac Toe // Adventures of Adam
Free Christmas Number Clip Cards // Fairy Poppins
Free Christmas Themed Prewriting Practice Cards // Stay At Home Educator
Felt Christmas Tree Number Match Up // Frogs Snails and Puppy Dog Tails
Christmas Stocking Matching Activity // Play & Learn Everyday
Free Printable Holiday Word Clouds // Lalymom
Christmas Addition to 15 // Liz’s Early Learning Spot
Free Christmas Counting Cards // Playdough to Plato
Christmas Stamp Patterns // Still Playing School
Christmas Tree Decorating Felt Busy Bag // Coffee Cups and Crayons
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