Saturday, October 2, 2010

Fun with Play-dough

The alternate title to this post could probably be "Entertaining a Toddler!"

Little L has been blessed with LOTS of toys that you would think could keep her entertained for days at a time!  However, while she does love to play with the stuff she's got she is always up for a new way to spend her time.  Right now, I feel like she is starting to enter a stage of creativity that I want to encourage in every possible way!  So even though Little L still usually ends up with the crayons in her mouth we try to "draw" as often as we can.  The other day, though, I wanted to do something different to help her branch out even more from a creativity standpoint.  As I was looking through my Craft Finder iPod/iPad app from Disney's Family Fun magazine* I found a recipe for Oatmeal Clay.  I figured that starting with an edible clay was probably the best for Little L since you can see from the statements about drawing that she still likes to put stuff in her mouth!

About a week or so ago, with Little L's help, we made the Oatmeal Clay.  Then I covered the table chair with a towel, laid out a few place mats I had just gotten for super cheap, put out the "play-dough" and some "tools" (mini pie tins, cookie cutters, etc.) and let Little L have at it!

Little L LOVES to play with her play dough and often asks for me to get it out for her (I just stuck it in a plastic bag in the fridge and I figure it will last for a few weeks or so).  She hasn't quite gotten the hang of making stuff with the dough but she loves to pull it apart into little pieces and put it in the pie tins or she likes to stick the cookie cutters into the big piles of dough.  Either way it is a new entertainment for her and hopefully will help her unleash the creativity God has planted inside of her that is just waiting to come out!

*FYI -If you are in the market for a GREAT family magazine I would highly recommend this!  I have gotten my fair share of "parenting" magazines over the years and this one tops them all!  They have LOTS of great craft ideas (that are actually doable even for someone like me!) as well as games, party ideas and more!  Just keep an eye out for a deal and then snag it!  (I got my subscription for $3 a year and I got it for 3 years!)

Here are some pictures from our first time with the oatmeal clay!



1 comments:

JJ and EJ said...

Oh, oh, oh! How fun! I agree -- M loves to play with her toys but she is always up for something new! I ALSO agree that edible play doh is definitely the way to start out! We may have a copy craft at our house soon! : ) Thanks Erica!