I doughn’t believe it! Discover the sensory benefits of dough play
Toddlers learn tons about their world through their sense of touch. Thankfully for them, their hands are becoming very handy tools and your toddler can use them for different jobs like squeezing, stroking and moving small things between their fingers. Playing with dough is perfect for this stage in your toddler’s sensory development; let’s look at what dough can be and why it’s so good!
Dough is very versatile; it can take a few different forms and offer your toddler various textures and stiffnesses to get to grips with.
It can be anything from shop-bought to home-made. Here are few examples of what dough, or a dough-type material, can be:
- Playdough – bought or made
- Bread dough
- Pastry
- Cookie dough
- Pizza dough
- Clay
- Salt dough
- Cloud dough
Dough is fabulous for many areas of your toddler’s development.
Playing with dough or baking with it can be really therapeutic. The simple act of kneading, squashing, and squeezing it can create feelings of serenity and relaxation.
It can also be a great stress reliever! Nothing is more satisfying than splatting dough or pounding it into a pancake-like shape.
Playing with dough gives your toddler something to do with their hands, which can help them concentrate and focus.
Toddlers can be quite busy and sometimes they may become over-tired, or they may just need some chilling time. Dough can help by keeping their fingers busy while also soothing them.
The amazing thing about dough is that it’s soft and silky to touch, often feeling pleasing and satisfying that sensory urge.
We also love that just about anything can be added to dough-play: toy vehicles, candles, cake cases, rolling pins and toy people are a few examples.
Adding things to dough helps stretch your toddler’s imagination.
They may play with things in unusual ways in the dough, but this helps them explore ideas and think creatively about the things around them.
Or you might see them play out things that they already know. Often toddlers associate dough with birthdays, and they may make a cake – even if it doesn't exactly resemble one!
Making dough together can be a great option because it caters for a variety of sensory preferences.
If your toddler isn’t keen on getting messy or sticky, many smooth, dry feeling doughs can be made; a simple online search will find recipes for home-made cloud or play doughs.
If your toddler loves to get all gooey, invite them to make dough with you. They can help mix by sticking their hands in the mixture and combining all the ingredients.
Baking is often associated with self-nourishment (no pun intended). It is thought to help calm the mind and encourage inner creativity.
If you choose to make an edible type of dough with your toddler, make the process of dough making the focus, not the end result.
You can both play around with different shapes and sizes; dough can be re-shaped numerous times and there is no right or wrong way to work with it.
Once you have both explored the malleability of the dough it can be popped in the oven, and you can eagerly await your creations. If they are inedible, this is absolutely fine. Your toddler could play with them when they are cool.
Giving yourselves time for dough play makes the whole experience a lot calmer.
Dough is something that usually needs time. Giving your toddler more time in dough will help them to explore their ideas. It also gives you both the opportunity to chat and look at what each other is doing.
Enjoy getting thoroughly stuck into it!