The Imagination Tree

Creative play and learning for kids

Invitation to Play with Fairy Play Dough!

by

Here’s a magical invitation to play for children who are interested in fairies, princesses and sparkles! Combining play dough, sensory play, motor skills and creative storytelling in one play prompt, this Fairy Play Dough is a great way to engage little ones in learning and creativity as they play!

fairy princess pink sparkle play dough play

I set out an Invitation to Play for the girls based on one of their favourite current interests, fairies and sparkles!

Here’s what was on the table:
pink, strawberry sparkle no-cook play dough [click here to read our recipe add pink and strawberry essence and glitter!]
unicorns and fairies
pink and purple sequins
sparkly pom poms
acrylic gems
fairy wand
a little door
necklaces
fairy dust in a bottle [click here to read our recipe]
As with all our Invitations to Play, there was no intended way to play with these materials. Instead, they are simply a prompt to start off some imaginative and independent play time (which always result in some incidental learning along the way too!)
The fairy dust was liberally sprinkled over all the dough and then a careful application of every single sequin, jewel and crystal took place (fantastic for those fine motor skills and co-ordination!) The necklaces were squished into the dough in various shapes, and then used to drape over other items that were stuck into the dough, as “decorations for a fairy party!”
The fairies and unicorns came to play and C. stuck the little door (from a play house) into the dough to make it into “a magic door that lets the fairies into the magical kingdom.” Pop played alongside her, cutting, sprinkling, pushing, rolling and playing, while Cakie told an elaborate story about her fairy figures at their party. Creative storytelling at its best.
What they are learning:
  • fine motor skills through pushing, rolling, cutting, squeezing, pinching, balancing etc
  • counting and problem solving through counting out objects, comparing quantities and lengths, matching and sorting materials
  • language and story telling through using new vocabulary, inventing new stories, addigning roles to characters and toys, using voices to become a character in play
  • sensory development through smelling, touching and moulding the scented, sparkly dough

 

Extend this activity!

  • Use this set up in a classroom/ home education lesson as a storytelling prompt
  • Provide pink and purple books and sparkly gel pens and stickers for writing and drawing the story after they have told it orally
  • Turn it into a maths activity by making it into a fairy birthday party with a set number of guests! Can you count out 8 jewels, necklaces, balls of dough for “cakes” etc. Add or subtract small amounts, compare sizes,  lengths quantities and weights etc Be creative!

 

Cakie: 4.2
Pop: 2.7
Bean: 8 mos

Read all about our Invitation to Play in this introductory post

Join us on Facebook for DAILY Invitation to Play ideas!

Comments

  5. Maria DeBlassie, PhD says

    This is a great activity not just for children but for the child in all of us…especially those who love glitter! I often use exercises like this to get older students to master difficult material in a fun way, from writing instructions with my technical writing students and outlining/brainstorming a story for creative writing students, to developing cognition and focus with study skills students. Thanks for posting this!