This month we worked on adding plenty of loose parts and open-ended activities for our toddlers. One exploration that we really enjoyed was open-ended playdough play, along with some simple loose parts offered with it to spark creativity. Everyone was given their own playdough to work with and got to choose if they wanted glitter added to it. They got to choose between green and red glitter, or both; most children chose both! Offering these simple choices helps children develop a sense of self, adding to their sense of belonging and well-being.
We then gave them some cookie cutters and some colourful popsicle sticks. Some children tried pushing the cookie cutter into their dough. Bennett stacked three cookie cutters on top of each other, on top of his playdough! Hana squished some dough into a round, flattened piece. She then held it up and said, "A cookie!"
Other children were more excited about the popsicle sticks and immediately started sticking them into their dough. We were surprised by how precisely and intentionally many of the children poked each stick in. Sophia stuck a cookie cutter into her dough and then started sticking in as many popsicle sticks as she could get her hands on, placing each one precisely within the limits if the cookie cutter. After, she removed the excess dough from the outside of the cookie cutter and picked up her creation to proudly show everyone.
This open-ended exploration fostered the children's sense of expression, allowing them to play with their playdough without a set purpose in mind. Offering open-ended loose parts (popsicle sticks) gave them the chance to get creative and use them in any way they liked; it also helped keep children engaged! Fine motor skills, sensory exploration, and social skills were in play as children stuck in the sticks, squished around their dough, and watched others to see how they were playing.
I wonder what we can add next to enhance our sensory play?!
