It's been a while since I made play dough so I decided to make a batch today. I have been experimenting with (pure) white play dough using cornflour but I haven't managed to find a recipe that works yet, so we had to make do with an off white play dough today, with added silver glitter for a special wintery sparkle.
As well as the usual cutters and rolling pins, I also provided the children with clear and blue glass beads, cake candles, christmas tree lightbulbs and straws. The extra resources were well played with and a great addition to our play dough play, the children chose to make birthday cakes for each other - probably prompted by the candles.
We have had the foam blocks a while now and every time I get them out the children enjoy playing with them - but just something wasn't 'quite right'? I decided to put the blocks in one of our sensory trays on the table instead of tipped out loose on the floor. It made a HUGE difference to the way the children played. The blocks were all contained in one place, which concentrated the children's focus on building with them rather than throwing and kicking them about the room. The children chatted amongst themselves as they built, and they shared ideas as to what to build - towers, camels(!), rockets and of course - a fire engine!
We inherited lots of scrummy apples from Albie's Auntie Chelle, we have been eating lots of them and there are lots more left to eat. If the apples become a bit past their best we may do some apple printing with them - watch this space. In keeping with the Autumnal theme I made a batch of apple play dough using my usual recipe but switching apple juice instead of water, and adding a sprinkling of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg - it smells delicious!
The children had lots of fun playing with it....
