Updated: Nov 23, 2021
Expressive Arts and Design - Exploring & Using Media & Materials (40-60+| months): Manipulates materials to achieve a planned effect.
Constructs with a purpose in mind, using a variety of resources.
Expressive Arts and Design - Being Imaginative (40-60+ months): Create simple representations of events, people and objects.
Introduces a storyline or narrative into their play.
What I used:
Playdough (I use this recipe from Mothercould)
Log Slices
Toy frogs
Wooden Numbers ( I have painted mine with chalkboard paint)
Set up a playdough tray with a variety of props which your child could use to create a pond. Let your child explore and play with the objects. As they play you could sing Five Little Speckled Frogs. They might begin to use the props to act out the song and they may introduce their own story lines.
It doesn't matter what your child does or what they makes when they explore the playdough tray. This purpose of this activity is to develop pre-writing skills.
I included numbers but he didn't really use them in his play. You could model different ways to use the numbers e.g. you could press the numbers into the playdough to make prints or you could count some of the objects and find the numeral.
I put the playdough into an airtight container and left the tray out. Benji returned to this activity throughout the week.
Hand and Finger Strength – Kneading, squeezing and rolling playdough strengthens the hands, fingers and wrist which helps to develop the endurance needed to write a full page.
Pincer Grip – Picking up the small pebbles using their thumb and forefinger practises the action that is necessary for holding and manipulating a pencil.
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