Playdough Activities for Kindergarten Sensory Maths Play
This blog post is your go-to guide for all things related to playdough activities for kindergarten maths. You will discover the wonderful benefits of sensory maths play to teach and consolidate those essential early numeracy skills! Playdough is a play based teacher’s best friend, and for good reason.
In this blog post, you’ll see how easy it is to teach early years maths using playdough. You don’t need a pile of expensive resources either. I’ve got 10 simple and fun hands-on activities that use playdough in an easy way for you to create math activities you and your students will love. If you are looking for a way to integrate play-based pedagogy into your maths lessons, grab your rolling pin and read on!
I love playdough, and so do my students. It is such a valuable learning tool that we have a designated playdough table set up in our classroom for the entire year. It is always a popular investigation area. I’d say it is a MUST-HAVE in any play-based classroom.
Benefits of Playdough
Playdough offers a tactile learning experience that's not only fun but also packed with benefits for young learners. Using playdough in the classroom goes far beyond developing fine motor skills. From cognitive development to emotional well-being, the impact playdough can have in your classroom is surprising.
Playdough and Cognitive Development
Creating shapes, patterns, and objects with playdough benefits the cognitive development of young children. It encourages creative thinking and imagination too. The hands-on learning experiences that happen when children play with playdough help them to make connections to more abstract math concepts like spatial reasoning, conservation and number sense.
Using playdough to teach shape, size, counting, and even basic operations prepares children for later mathematical understanding. It's an excellent tool for visualisation and for making abstract math concepts tangible.
A quote by Maria Montessori: "Never give the mind what you can give the hand." This aligns perfectly with the idea of learning through tactile experiences, like playdough activities.
Playdough and Fine Motor Skills
Moulding and shaping playdough requires precise hand and finger movements. Manipulating playdough is the perfect way to develop fine motor muscles. Play dough activities in themselves are fine motor activities. They can't be beat for developing those essential fine motor skills.
Young children will pinch, roll and flatten as they manipulate the dough. They will be giving their small muscles, particularly those in the fingers and hands, a good workout. Playdough is an excellent tool for improving fine motor skills and will have a positive impact on tasks like writing and cutting with scissors.
I have a set of illustrated play dough technique cards that I like to use at my playdough area. There are 20 printable cards in the set that illustrate various techniques for children to explore when they use clay, plasticine or play dough.
Each technique is clearly illustrated and will encourage your students to experiment with a variety of techniques as they manipulate the material you have offered. These cards are also an excellent resource for building your child’s vocabulary.
Sensory Play and Playdough
The texture, smell, and colours of playdough offer rich sensory experiences. Your students will use their senses of touch and sight when they play with playdough. You can add essential oils to make scented playdough to activate student’s sense of smell.
It is the perfect multi-sensory activity! Playing with this squishy dough is not only stimulating but has also been shown to improve focus and retention in young learners. Who knew a blob of playdough could be so valuable!
Did you know a professional learning paper published by Early Childhood Australia suggests that sensory play has a significant impact on children's learning?
It states: Our senses are incredibly powerful tools to help us learn and grow. We can never ignore this in-built natural teacher! When we gather information using our senses and allow them to guide us, we are using our sensory pathways. These pathways have direct access to the strongest and most lasting parts of our memory (Stierwalt, 2020). As such, we should consider how to engage children’s senses when thinking about the types of play and programs to offer them.
It also says that a multi-sensory approach supports full and engaging play opportunities for all children. It also provides educators with the help they need when they are working alongside neurodiverse children of all ages. In short, use them (our senses) or lose them (the children).
Emotional and Social Benefits of Playdough
Working with playdough is such a calming activity. I’ve seen first-hand how it can help children with their emotional regulation. That’s why I always have a tub of playdough in our calm-down area. The act of pounding, squishing, and moulding can be incredibly satisfying and can help children manage feelings of anger and anxiety.
When children work together to create something with playdough, it enhances their social skills too. Young children learn to share, take turns and collaborate when they work together with playdough.
Sensory play experiences like playdough also provide children with a chance to build confidence and self-esteem. There is no right or wrong way to play with playdough.
What You Need for Playdough Math Activities
You don’t need a heap of resources for your students to play with playdough. Some playdough and a few small items like loose parts are all you need to get started.
In this post, we are focusing on play dough activities for sensory maths play. With this in mind, there are a few math-related resources you might like to collect and add to your playdough table.
Here’s a list of my favourites:
Loose parts like counters, glass gems and beads
Tools like Rolling Pins, pizza cutters and scissors
Cookie Cutters in Various Shapes and sizes
Number Stamps
Measuring Tools like timers, rulers and scales
Dice
Number charts, math posters and books
Oh, of course – don’t forget the playdough!
For a perfect homemade play dough recipe that'll last you a whole term, check out my Best Playdough Recipe blog post.
Best Homemade Playdough Recipe
If you're in the mood for a DIY project, making your own playdough is simpler than you think. I've already written a blog post on my tried and tested Best Playdough Recipe. It lasts me a good 10 weeks, and it’s super easy to make.
In my free resource library, I have a printable playdough recipe you can download and stick on your fridge. Even though this super easy playdough is long-lasting, I seem to be making a fresh batch of playdough every month or so. I like to change up the colour with food colouring, add essential oils for scent, or create a batch to match the season.
10 Easy and Fun Playdough Math Activities
So, we've looked at the incredible benefits of adding playdough into your teaching toolkit—now let's get to the fun part!
Here are 10 of my favourite easy, engaging, and educational ideas that will help you implement playdough math activities in your classroom. These activities are not just fantastic fun - they are carefully designed to help your students learn and consolidate essential math concepts. Each activity addresses specific kindergarten math learning objectives.
Hands-on learning at its best!
1. Playdough Number Flowers
The first of my engaging playdough math activities is one we use over and over in my own classroom. My Printable Playdough Number Flowers can be used in both play-based learning and explicit teaching lessons.
ACARA Learning Intention: name, represent and order numbers, including zero to at least 20, using physical and virtual materials and numerals (AC9MFN01)
This versatile resource isn’t just for the playdough table. The flowers make an excellent addition to sensory tubs, dramatic play spaces, and even your Science Nature table.
They represent numbers up to twenty in both numerals and words. I like to use them for quick math warm-ups or as a transition activity too.
Here are a few of the other ways we use them:
Give each child a flower. Ask each child to find their matching flower friend.
Ask them to put themselves in order (make a number line).
Sit in a circle and give clues to the secret flower eg: I’m the number before 7. The correct flower child stands up!
Great combined with counters or a number line at your playdough table, these Number Flowers can provide a multi-sensory approach to understanding number concepts.
2. Playdough Math Mats
Hands-on learning is easy with my Reggio-inspired Loose Parts Number Mats. Designed to be used with a variety of materials, not just playdough. They can be used with loose parts like stones, counters, specialised math manipulatives and, of course – playdough!
If you are looking for a multi-sensory approach to teaching number concepts and numeral formation for numbers 1 to 20, you’ll want to get your hands on some playdough number mats.
ACARA Learning Intentions:
name, represent and order numbers, including zero to at least 20, using physical and virtual materials and numerals (AC9MFN01)
quantify and compare collections to at least 20 using counting and explain or demonstrate reasoning (AC9MFN03)
partition and combine collections up to 10 using part-part-whole relationships and subitising to recognise and name the parts (AC9MFN04)
In my playdough number mats set, you will get:
A list of 60 loose parts ideas to use with the mats.
Instructions for tile printing the mats.
Two printable math learning prompts.
20 individual playdough or loose parts number mats featuring a numeral, number word, and ten-frame for numbers 1 to 20.
These mats are a great resource. They come in A4 size and are best printed in colour to take full advantage of the stunning, real-life nature photos.
I love how versatile this quick and easy resource is.
You can use play dough mats for:
Small group math rotations
Independent work
Early finishers
Busy bags or math trays
Morning work
Numeracy centers or Investigation areas
These mats make setting up a purposeful playdough center a breeze!
3. Making Playdough 3D Shapes
When it comes to concrete, hands-on learning, this activity is a good one. Not only does it combine the tactile experience of playdough with basic shapes and geometry, it's also incredibly easy to set up!
All you need is some play dough and a few toothpicks to teach your students all about 3D shapes.
You might like to add a 3D shape poster or text for your students to refer to.
Students simply roll the playdough into small balls to make the 'vertices' or corners of their shapes. They choose a 3D shape to build, such as a cube, pyramid, or tetrahedron.
Students build their 3D shapes by inserting the toothpicks into the playdough balls to form the 'edges' of their shape. The playdough balls make it easy to connect and hold the toothpicks in place.
Teaching Tip: Encourage the kids to count the vertices and edges, explore symmetry, and identify edges, corners and faces.
ACARA Learning Intentions: sort, name, and create familiar shapes; recognise and describe familiar shapes within objects in the environment, giving reasons (AC9MFSP01)
There are other learning outcomes you can expect from this activity too. Your students will not only learn about geometric terms like vertices, edges, and faces, but they will be developing their spatial reasoning, problem-solving and strengthening fine motor skills as well.
For younger children or those new to 3D shapes, make sure to start with simpler shapes like cubes and pyramids.
4. Counting Animal Tracks with Playdough
If you are struggling to make skip counting and number patterns engaging like I was, you will love this playdough activity. I designed this Animal Tracks provocation because my traditional methods of teaching skip counting were falling flat.
I made a set of cards that helped me to set up a math provocation with an imaginative twist. It had my students skip counting in no time. If ever I’m struggling to consolidate a particular skill in our investigation area, including something from the natural world always works a treat.
To set up this sensory play math activity in your classroom, you will need:
Playdough
Toy animals (with various numbers of legs)
If your students roll out the playdough flat on a table, they can use the toy animals to make tracks in the playdough. Place one of the Ten Frames with Animal Legs cards near the playdough area to guide your students as they make tracks in the dough.
ACARA Learning Intentions:
quantify and compare collections to at least 20 using counting and explain or demonstrate reasoning (AC9MFN03)
partition and combine collections up to 10 using part-part-whole relationships and subitising to recognise and name the parts (AC9MFN04)
represent practical situations that involve equal sharing and grouping with physical and virtual materials and use counting or subitising strategies (AC9MFN06)
recognise, copy and continue repeating patterns represented in different ways (AC9MFA01)
This math playdough activity makes learning about number patterns and counting engaging and interactive.
5. Playdough Pizza – fractions, dramatic play
I set this playdough activity up at a dramatic play Pizza Shop. The kids loved it! If you're looking for a pretend play activity that's both engaging and educational, look no further than Making Pizza with Playdough. Not only is it heaps of fun, but it also consolidates several maths concepts, from counting and sorting to understanding fractions.
What You'll Need
Playdough (multiple colours if possible)
Buttons, counters, or other loose parts for toppings
Plastic knives or pizza cutters
Small round pizza trays
A play oven (get the kids to make one from a cardboard box)
Notepads to write down the orders
A Menu on display (hopefully made by the kids)
A big Pizza Shop sign (you guessed it – made by the kids)
Optional dress-up clothes, aprons, oven mitts and tea towels
When everything is all set up, the little chefs can roll out a piece of playdough into a flat circle resembling a pizza. Encourage your students to use loose parts like buttons and counters as toppings.
Want to sneak in a bit more maths? Ask your students to sort their toppings by shape, size, or colour and then count them. Challenge them to create patterns with their toppings. You could even create recipe cards for the pizza makers to follow.
And, of course, Pizza is the perfect tool to explore fractions. Your students will have so much fun learning how to divide the pizza into halves and quarters. What better way to help your students to visualise abstract concepts like fractions!
ACARA Learning Intentions:
quantify and compare collections to at least 20 using counting and explain or demonstrate reasoning (AC9MFN03)
represent practical situations that involve equal sharing and grouping with physical and virtual materials and use counting or subitising strategies (AC9MFN06)
6. Playdough STEAM Prompts
If you're on the hunt for an activity that's both engaging and challenging, STEAM Challenge Cards are the answer. STEAM or STEM challenges are open-ended activities that invite students to develop problem-solving skills and creative thinking in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math.
They're perfect for a play-based classroom and will add vigour to your investigation areas.
To get those young minds ticking, check out my 30 STEAM Challenge Cards.
These cards can be used in various ways - for whole-class activities, small groups, or individual students.
There’s a list of suitable building materials included in this downloadable resource. Playdough is one of them. It's a great medium for little hands and a cost-effective building material you can use with STEM or STEAM challenges.
So easy to use. Simply display a printable prompt and let the children decide whether they want to tackle the challenge on their own or with a friend or two.
You can either specify which building materials to use based on curriculum objectives or let the children pick from your classroom's resources.
Want a free sample of my STEAM Prompt Cards? There’s a free sample in my FREE Resources library. I created this library for my email subscribers. It has over 40 free resources for them to download and use in their Prep and Grade one classrooms. There are printables to help with planning, investigation areas, explicit teaching lessons and more. CLICK HERE to get instant access!
STEAM challenges promote problem-solving and provoke higher-order thinking and discussion. They really are great for hands-on learning and encourage children to think outside the box.
One of the best ways to get extra value from these cards is to encourage team efforts. Kids can bounce ideas off each other, consolidating their collaboration skills and working towards a shared goal.
ACARA Learning Intentions: identify and compare attributes of objects and events, including length, capacity, mass and duration, using direct comparisons and communicating reasoning (AC9MFM01)
Mathematics has its own value and aesthetic, and the Mathematics curriculum develops students’ appreciation of the power of mathematical reasoning as they develop mastery of the content in mathematics. It provides students with learning opportunities to develop mathematical proficiency, including a sound understanding of and fluency with the concepts, skills, procedures and processes needed to interpret contexts, choose ways to approach situations using mathematics, and to reason and solve problems arising from these situations. The curriculum clarifies the links between the various aspects of mathematics as well as the relationship between mathematics and other disciplines. ACARA Version 9
7. Making Playdough
One of the most popular activities in our play-based classroom is when the students get to make their very own play dough. It's so much fun!
More than that though, it is also a comprehensive learning experience. It blends math and science effortlessly. The kids get a real sense of accomplishment when they get to play with something they've made themselves too.
I’ve got some printables that make setting up this activity easy and educational.
No need to worry about trying to remember ingredients or proportions. This resource has it all worked out for you with an easy-to-measure playdough recipe included.
ACARA Learning Intentions: identify and compare attributes of objects and events, including length, capacity, mass and duration, using direct comparisons and communicating reasoning (AC9MFM01)
I love how this math activity adds a literacy layer and guides the students through the process. There’s even a set of differentiated cloze worksheets included if you want to extend the literacy aspect.
Nothing beats real-world Math. Your students will learn to count and measure the ingredients and give them a hands-on way to grasp concepts like fractions and units.
We always do this activity when we are learning about Materials and Their Properties in science. It’s a great way for students to investigate chemistry concepts. As they measure and mix the ingredients, they learn about the properties of the ingredients and see how matter changes state.
Use these printables to Set Up a Make Your Own Playdough Investigation Area
This How to Make Playdough resource covers
Procedural Writing
Vocabulary Development
Maths measurement and fractions
Science properties of materials and chemistry
Critical Thinking and Self-evaluation
Collaboration and Social Skills
Creativity and Sensory Learning
From illustrated procedure cards to help students sequence a procedure to differentiated worksheets using the “First, Next, Then, and Finally” language, this resource has everything you need to teach procedural writing, measurement and terms like whole and half to your students.
8. Playdough Length and Height Challenge Cards
I designed these challenge cards specifically for our playdough table because I had students confusing the terms length and height. I also needed a way for my children to directly and indirectly compare and measure objects.
ACARA Learning Intentions: identify and compare attributes of objects and events, including length, capacity, mass and duration, using direct comparisons and communicating reasoning (AC9MFM01)
Each playdough challenge aims to develop both creative and critical thinking skills in young learners. They have a focus on the language and concepts of length and height.
They are specially designed to target fundamental mathematical understanding through hands-on learning experiences. A perfect addition to any play-based classroom.
9. Playdough Math Prompts
Well, these math prompts are a resource that has taken me hours to create, but all that effort was certainly worth it. There are a whopping 115 Math Provocation prompts to download and print. Everything you need to cover the entire spectrum of Number and Algebra for the Australian Curriculum's Foundation Stage (now aligned to version 9 of ACARA).
The prompts cover every conceivable angle of Number and Algebra.
These prompts cover all the ACARA Number and Algebra Learning Intentions:
name, represent and order numbers, including zero to at least 20, using physical and virtual materials and numerals (AC9MFN01)
recognise and name the number of objects within a collection up to 5 using subitising (AC9MFN02)
quantify and compare collections to at least 20 using counting and explain or demonstrate reasoning (AC9MFN03)
partition and combine collections up to 10 using part-part-whole relationships and subitising to recognise and name the parts (AC9MFN04)
represent practical situations involving addition, subtraction and quantification with physical and virtual materials and use counting or subitising strategies (AC9MFN05)
represent practical situations that involve equal sharing and grouping with physical and virtual materials and use counting or subitising strategies (AC9MFN06)
recognise, copy and continue repeating patterns represented in different ways (AC9MFA01)
Designed to make maths investigations quick and easy to set up, the prompts are perfect for hands-on math investigation areas, math centers, whole class activities, circle time, and much more. Not all the prompts have been designed with playdough in mind. There are even a heap of inspirational investigation area photos included to give you set-up ideas.
This big bundle comes with 12 reproducible recording sheets to fit A5 clipboards, 2 bonus templates, inspirational setup photos, and lists of possible resources to add even more depth to each investigation area.
You’ll get:
32 Prompts for naming, representing, and ordering numbers
3 Prompts for recognising numbers through subitising
15 Prompts for quantifying and comparing collections
...and much more, covering part-part-whole relationships, addition, subtraction, repeating patterns, and other vital math skills. Check them all out HERE!
If you are in any way feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of planning hands-on activities for each and every math topic or looking for a way to integrate age-appropriate yet challenging math tasks into your play-based curriculum, this Math Prompts bundle can help you.
Believe me, I know how precious time is when you are an early years teacher! I’ve made my math provocations super easy to set up. Now I don’t have to worry about missing any part of the Number and Algebra strand either.
Simply print the beautiful provocation prompts on A4-sized paper or cardstock, grab a few math resources, and you're ready to go!
These prompts were so handy I made Prompt Packs for the Measurement and Geometry strands too!
10. Playdough and Loose Parts: The Ultimate Math Exploration Station
Sometimes, the simplest activities are the most effective. When it comes to teaching math skills in a play-based setting, playdough and loose parts can be a match made in heaven. Trust me, this can be the ultimate solution to keeping your little learners engaged while they acquire essential math skills.
What Can Kids Learn?
Playdough is such a great activity. It is often used in the classroom for fine motor development, but there are so many other important skills it can help you teach. The secret ingredient that can turn playdough into a math resource? Loose parts!
Counting and Number Sense: If you add loose parts like buttons or beads to your playdough table, your students will naturally explore and practice counting and consolidate their numerical understanding.
Sorting and Grouping: Add a small variety of loose parts to your playdough if you want to encourage your students to categorise items based on different attributes like size, colour, or type.
Patterns and Sequencing: Your students will use loose parts to create patterns in the playdough. It’s a fun and natural way to introduce algebraic thinking.
Measurement: Comparing the length or size of different loose parts, rolling playdough to make snakes, and squashing playdough into various containers are all examples of the various measurement activities children will naturally do at the playdough table.
Addition and Subtraction: Through playing with playdough and loose parts, children can get a hands-on understanding of basic arithmetic operations. They will add and take away the loose parts continuously – all while consolidating their conservation of number concepts.
Spatial Awareness: As they manoeuvre loose parts around in the playdough, young students explore their basic spatial concepts and develop a foundational understanding of geometry.
Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking: Open ended resources like loose parts and playdough are the ultimate resources for promoting creative and critical thinking skills.
How to Set It Up?
You don't need much to get started—a tub of playdough, a collection of loose parts like stones, buttons, and shells, and a space for exploration.
That’s it!
The beauty of this activity lies in its simplicity and the endless possibilities it offers.
ACARA Learning Intentions: Honestly? ALL of them!
Problem Solved!
The open ended nature of playdough and loose parts play ensures that it effortlessly incorporates a multitude of math skills into one simple, engaging setup. If you're struggling to find ways to include more math activities in your investigation time, or if you're on the lookout for a multi-purpose provocation that meets all the needs of your diverse learners, look no further. Playdough and loose parts are all you need.
This really is such a simple way to create purposeful math play!
Trusting Our Children: The Capable Learners in Math Exploration
One fundamental belief we should all share in a play-based approach is the image of the child as a capable learner. This perspective is essential, especially when implementing open-ended activities like the playdough and loose parts exploration above.
The Innate Curiosity to Learn
Our young learners come to us with a natural curiosity and an intrinsic desire to explore the world around them.
This reminds me of another quote from the inspirational Maria Montessori: The goal of early childhood education should be "to activate the child's own natural desire to learn." We often think we need to teach children, but what if we take a step back and allow them to learn? This small shift in teaching can open doors to meaningful and authentic learning experiences.
They Know What They Need
It's tempting to hover, to guide, and to instruct—after all, we're teachers, and that’s what we're trained to do. However, I have found over and over that the most powerful teaching moments come when we simply step aside.
Our children have an inherent sense of what they need to practice and will naturally gravitate towards activities that help them consolidate skills they're working on. Whether it's perfecting a pincer grip to pick up a tiny bead or counting groups of items, they are self-driven to practice the skills they need at that moment.
Children are Always Learning
The reality is that children are always learning! Just try and stop them – you can’t!
Learning is not something we can pause or rush. In every interaction, every question, and every exploration, they are absorbing, adapting, and advancing. We can't stop children from learning, so why not offer them enriching environments and trust them to lead their learning?
The Power of Observation
The educator’s role isn't to instruct as much as it is to observe. Through careful observation, we can glean insights into each child's unique learning journey. Our observations inform our next steps. They help us understand not just what the students are learning but how they prefer to learn too. These insights are golden when it comes to planning future activities and learning engagements.
Trust Them as Learners
So, as you set up your playdough activities for your sensory maths play, remember that it's not just about the materials or even the skills your students will gain. It's about respecting children as capable learners and trusting that they know what they need. Our job? To give them the space, time, and resources to do just that.
When we trust children as competent learners, we open doors to a world of intrinsic motivation and meaningful learning, a principle that perfectly aligns with a play-based pedagogy.
Another of my favourite Maria Montessori quotes, "The goal of early childhood education should be to activate the child's own natural desire to learn." And what better way to do that than through playdough activities?
I understand that planning and sourcing educational and fun playdough activities can be time-consuming. After all, we don’t want playdough play to become an afterthought or “busy work” in our classroom. The play-based learning activities you provide for your students should be purposeful, age-appropriate and aligned with your learning intentions.
To make your life easier, I have heaps of educational playdough resources in my store. From printable playdough mats designed for hands-on maths learning to fun playdough ideas for STEM challenges, you'll find so much inspiration and practical ideas to engage your students purposefully.
AND don’t forget about my Bonus Freebies
Who doesn't love a good freebie, especially when it adds value to your classroom? Alongside my 10 easy playdough math activities, I wanted to share some extra resources that you can download and use right now for free.
Organic Pattern Mats for Open-Ended Creativity
These Organic Pattern Mats are versatile and designed for open-ended play. Not only do they work great with playdough, but you can also use them with loose parts. Let your students' imaginations run wild as they explore different textures and forms. Download them HERE.
Christmas Playdough Number Mats
With the holiday season right around the corner, give your playdough table a festive makeover! My Christmas Playdough Number Mats will help your students develop their fine motor skills while also consolidating their understanding of number concepts up to 10. Download them for free HERE.
Ready to grab these free playdough mats and all the other playdough resources in my FREE Resource library? Click HERE to get access
Don’t forget to grab my fail-proof playdough recipe while you are there!
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