Some very simple and inexpensive ingredients that you have at home can be used for sensory play, early learning, and kindergarten readiness. Flour, salt, water, oil, cream of tartar, and coloring. Those are all it takes to make a batch of playdough for some sensory play for touch. There are several versions and youtube videos with instructions but this one explains the process so well:
Playdough is ideal for little hands and for sensory stimulation. Fingers love to feel how it squishes, rolls, stretches, and flattens. A few kitchen tools, such as a plastic fork or picnic knife are great for poking and cutting. Have you ever tried cutting playdough with scissors? It is super easy and can easily be smooshed together to do it again. Make some small balls of playdough and let your child pick them up with salad tongs instead of fingers. A rolling pin gives a different sensory experience and uses bigger movements.
Kids can bury small objects such as bottle caps, big buttons, plastic animals, popsicle sticks, and small jar lids or they can find ones that grownups hide. Do you have some keys that are missing and can’t be found anywhere?? They might be in a lump of playdough. Sometimes toes and feet like to check out how playdough feels. If playdough is kept in the fridge it a covered container it will stay soft, but if it’s left out it will feel very different, as in hard and dry.
For some added sensory stimulation, add a few drops of an essential oil for a nice smell. Cinnamon also smells wonderful in playdough. Of course, this kind of playdough is not good for any tasting sense experiences. Do you have some playdough at home or in your center, or can you whip up a batch, for some touch sensory exploration fun and learning?