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Bubble Wrap Painting and Playdough

by The Empowered Educator 11 Comments

We continued our simple homemade play fun this week cooking up an old microwave playdough recipe and then exploring with the senses using recycled bubble wrap!

Homemade playdough is such a versatile resource and an easy chemical free solution to the one sold in the shops. When  you make it yourself you know exactly what is in it and that it is safe for older babies and toddlers to explore with inquisitive fingers and mouths.

Easy microwave playdough recipe to make at home - safe for baby and toddler play!

We took our batch outside for a little fun this week and the twins enjoyed collecting leaves to press into their playdough creations.

Encourage sensory and colour exploration through play with this easy activity for toddlers using simple recycled materials. A great idea for parents, childminders, early childhood educators, family day care and homeschool!

 

 Patty pans, straws and feathers proved exciting tools as well….

 

Encourage sensory and colour exploration through play with this easy activity for toddlers using simple recycled materials. A great idea for parents, childminders, early childhood educators, family day care and homeschool!

 

Tara began offering our magpie friend some playdough shortly after I took this photo…we talk to them every morning!

 

Encourage sensory and colour exploration through play with this easy activity for toddlers using simple recycled materials. A great idea for parents, childminders, early childhood educators, family day care and homeschool!

 

Want to try making your own playdough but dread the burnt saucepan and cleaning up afterwards?

Easy microwave playdough recipe to make at home - safe for baby and toddler play!

I use a microwave playdough recipe that I made often when working in child care…no burnt saucepans I promise and it works well….you just have to make sure you don't overcook it or it will go crumbly but follow the simple instructions below and you will be making and playing before you know it …and saving money at the same time!

How to make microwave playdough

What you need:

This makes quite a large batch but it will keep for weeks in the fridge. If you would prefer a smaller batch to start with just halve the recipe amounts below.
  • 2 cups plain flour
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup salt
  • 1 tbsp cream of tartar (to help it keep longer)
  • food colouring or edicol dye

What you need to do now:

  • Mix all dry ingredients in a microwave bowl or casserole dish, I usually use a clear pyrex dish as it allows me to see how the mixture is progressing while cooking.

Easy microwave playdough recipe to make at home - safe for baby and toddler play!

  • Add water and oil and if you are wanting to add some colour sprinkle in a few drops of food colouring or a sprinkle of edicol paint colour dye at this stage and stir or whisk well. You don't need to remove all the lumps as you will be stirring a few more times throughout the cooking process anyway.

Easy microwave playdough recipe to make at home - safe for baby and toddler play!

Easy microwave playdough recipe to make at home - safe for baby and toddler play!

  • Cook in microwave for around 3 minutes – at the 3 minute mark carefully pull your dish out and give a good stir bringing down off the sides as well , it will look something like the consistency below after this amount of time.

Easy microwave playdough recipe to make at home - safe for baby and toddler play!

  • Put back in the microwave and cook in bursts of 40 secs – stir each time until the mix thickens, then forms a ball. When it has come together well but is still moist in places in the middle remove from the microwave , turn out onto a floured board.

Easy microwave playdough recipe to make at home - safe for baby and toddler play!

Easy microwave playdough recipe to make at home - safe for baby and toddler play!

  • Rest for 5 minutes to finish the cooking process and to cool a little then knead well. If you cook for too long you will get tough and crumbly playdough – it can be a bit of trial and error as all microwaves are different but once you have made a few batches you will be a pro and know exactly when to take it out for perfect soft, squishy dough!

Easy microwave playdough recipe to make at home - safe for baby and toddler play!

Now you are ready for play – I decided to keep this batch plain and we had fun poking and making patterns with some gumnuts we collected on a nature walk but you can of course add colour to your dough if you prefer!

 

Easy microwave playdough recipe to make at home - safe for baby and toddler play!

 

Easy microwave playdough recipe to make at home - safe for baby and toddler play!

 

Easy microwave playdough recipe to make at home - safe for baby and toddler play!

 

You can also add glitter or challenge the senses by trying my eggshell playdough or this sago version!  Sometimes it's fun to work those fine motor skills and encourage older children to knead the dyes in themselves and marvel as the colours begin to appear – I call this my Magic Marble Playdough. 

 

You'll find lots of inspiration for using playdough in different ways all throughout my blog as it is one of my favourite resources for play and learning!

 

We also tried some bubble wrap painting as I had some leftover from a parcel I received last week….this again was to mainly help Ruby grow accustomed to different textures.

 

Encourage sensory and colour exploration through play with this easy activity for toddlers using simple recycled materials. A great idea for parents, childminders, early childhood educators, family day care and homeschool!

 

Very simple…..just stick some bubble wrap to the table and pour paint on…some children will need encouragement to run their fingers over the bubble wrap as it is a new experience. To my surprise Ruby enjoyed this activity just as much as Tara although she was cautious at first……

 

Encourage sensory and colour exploration through play with this easy activity for toddlers using simple recycled materials. A great idea for parents, childminders, early childhood educators, family day care and homeschool!

 

 Then dived in and there was lots of squishing  bubbles and trying to make them pop! It became a game to cover all of the bubbles with paint and provided lots of opportunity to talk about colours and explore with the senses.

 

Encourage sensory and colour exploration through play with this easy activity for toddlers using simple recycled materials. A great idea for parents, childminders, early childhood educators, family day care and homeschool!

 

I kept the bucket of water close by for Ruby to wash her hands whenever she felt uncomfortable with the level of mess on her hands. This is something I also make sure to do when working with any group of young children as there are always some who  prefer to be able to clean the mess off then start again. Everyone has different levels of sensory sensitivity.

 

Encourage sensory and colour exploration through play with this easy activity for toddlers using simple recycled materials. A great idea for parents, childminders, early childhood educators, family day care and homeschool!

 

Tara loved stretching toward the middle and at one stage tried to climb up!

 

Encourage sensory and colour exploration through play with this easy activity for toddlers using simple recycled materials. A great idea for parents, childminders, early childhood educators, family day care and homeschool!

 

Ruby wasn't quite as adventurous but did enjoy working her way around the edge of the table….

 

Encourage sensory and colour exploration through play with this easy activity for toddlers using simple recycled materials. A great idea for parents, childminders, early childhood educators, family day care and homeschool!

 

If you want to keep a picture of their fingerpainting they make lovely prints for the kids to look at later ….ours will be going toward the Christmas wrapping paper stash! Just lay some paper face down over the paint and press down with the child's hands (then you get bonus handprints!) and peel off carefully….you end up with this….

 

Encourage sensory and colour exploration through play with this easy activity for toddlers using simple recycled materials. A great idea for parents, childminders, early childhood educators, family day care and homeschool!

 

We finished off the morning with a sit down for some snacks and a drink!

 

Encourage sensory and colour exploration through play with this easy activity for toddlers using simple recycled materials. A great idea for parents, childminders, early childhood educators, family day care and homeschool!

 

 

Encourage sensory and colour exploration through play with this easy activity for toddlers using simple recycled materials. A great idea for parents, childminders, early childhood educators, family day care and homeschool!

 

Filed Under: educator tips, frugal fun, outside play, sensory fun, toddlers, world around us

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Comments

  1. Janice (learning4kids) says

    01/12/2011 at 8:47 am

    I just love how the painting and play dough activities are done outside in such a beautiful setting. Your girls looked like they had so much fun. x

    Reply
  2. Beth (www.livinglifeintentionally.blogspot.com) says

    01/12/2011 at 11:31 am

    How interesting to ponder the nature vs nurture with twins – what a cool perspective! Your pictures came out super neat! Thanks for linking up to TGIF! See you next week, Beth =-)

    Reply
  3. Whole Child Creative Curriculum says

    01/12/2011 at 12:16 pm

    How fun! I love the recipe for microwave play dough and shared it on facebook–if that’s a problem, let me know and I’ll take it down!

    Carla @ Whole Child Creative Curriculum

    Reply
  4. Katie says

    01/12/2011 at 8:42 pm

    LOVE this. I’m pinning it now…I have never heard of this recipe and am excited to try it out! This would be a great activity to link at my new Thrifty Thursday Linky Party! I hope you can stop by and check it out! http://www.playingwithwords365.com/2011/11/thrifty-thursday-linky-party-1/

    Reply
  5. Jode says

    01/12/2011 at 10:39 pm

    Thanks all for stopping by and taking the time to comment…i am in the middle of visiting all of your blogs too!
    I am loving the linky parties…such inspiration and fun ideas to share!
    Carla…no problem re facebook, i’m glad the recipe is proving useful to some….you may have to tweak it a little depending on your microwave but it’s usually pretty foolproof!
    Jode x

    Reply
  6. Katie says

    01/12/2011 at 10:52 pm

    Jode thanks so much for linking up!!! ๐Ÿ˜€

    Reply
  7. Lisa says

    02/12/2011 at 1:12 am

    Just stopping by from the Thrifty Thursday Linky Party. I never thought to use bubble wrap as a painting activity. I will have to try this with my tot and preschooler. They will love this! And what a great sensory learning experience! I’m your newest follower on GFC!

    Lisa
    http://www.crisscrossapplesaucelearning.blogspot.com

    Reply
  8. Jode says

    02/12/2011 at 3:30 am

    Thanks Lisa…glad you could take away some inspiration…following you back!

    Reply
  9. Lindsi B says

    04/12/2011 at 2:12 am

    So creative and fun!!! Would you please share this with our readers for Fun Stuff Fridays? http://www.toysinthedryer.com/2011/12/fun-stuff-fridays-2.html

    Reply
  10. Katy says

    05/05/2013 at 7:42 pm

    Thank you for this! I have never had good luck making my own playdough, but I think this one actually worked for me! ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply

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Jodie
Hi, I'm Jode, Mum to twins and a teen, and an early childhood educator.
I love to share ideas & resources for play based learning
Find out more about me here...

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