Textures are so much fun for preschoolers to explore with and about! We have found that modeling clay is the best medium to “test” textures.DIY Silly Putty is the easiest to clean up after, and playdough is a great standby, but modeling clay is perfect as it holds it shape really well, being stiffer than silly putty or playdough, and if you paint over the clay it doesn’t absorb the paint. This lends itself to dozens of possibilities!
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Here are just some of the ways our preschoolers have experimented with clay:
Poked a lump of clay with a fork
Smashed the clay with the fork
Smooshed the clay with a slinky
Folded the clay between sheets of plastic wrap
Pressed the bottom of a shoe into the clay
Flattened the clay with a spoon
Used Bristle blocks and other toys to make impressions
Hidden an item inside a ball of clay, flattened the clay to discover the shape of the hidden item
Rolled the clay into long ropes or little balls
Pressed our faces into the clay to make masks
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Want to have more sensory activities? Here are a bunch of texture activity suggestions.
How have you and your kids played with clay?
About Rachel
I bet there are 99 uses for these!
We make kool aid play dough a lot. I haven’t found a clay I like. Do you make your own? I love the slinky.
We have used silly putty to find textures all over the house. My oldest was amazed to discover the texture in some fabrics by looking at it and feeling it on the silly putty impression. You have to be careful not to press too hard, though, else the silly putty gets smooshed in between the fibers and you can’t get it out!
I’ve also found that the home made stuff is less likely to dry up. I love these ideas for textures!
Great ideas! I’ll keep these ones in mind. Thanks for sharing.