Use these free printable playdough mats as the perfect addition to any playdough activities! There are so many benefits to playing with play dough. Strengthening hand muscles, language skills, math skills, and creativity are just a few of the best things about young children playing with playdough.
Young kids can benefit from exploring and playing with play dough without anything extra added to it. There is no need to add something new until your child’s interest in the playdough by itself slows down. When it does, here are different ways to spice it up.
Playdough Tools
Different tools are a fun addition to play dough:
- popsicle sticks
- cupcake wrappers
- plastic animals
- muffin trays
- rolling pin
- birthday candles
- cookie cutters
- old garlic crushers
- leaves
- sticks
- plastic forks, knives, or spoons
Benefits of playing with playdough:
- Strengthening fine motor muscles (fingers, wrists, and hands) which helps develops fine motor skills and coordination.
- Gives an opportunity for dramatic play and fosters creativity and imagination.
- Fun way to promote experimentation and discovery.
- Increases vocabulary
Prepare the Playdough and Mats
My kids love using scented playdough (my favorite homemade playdough recipe) and playdough mats. The easiest way to prepare them is to laminate them. If laminating isn’t an option, you can cover the mat with clear contact paper or use a page protector. All of these options assure that it wipes clean after you use it.
Some of these free playdough mats have a purpose such as making letters or putting a certain number of “apples” on a tree and others are for creative open ended play. These mats have different themes and are organize by season.
Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer
Letters of the Alphabet, Numbers and Shapes
Playdough Number Mats from Powerful Mothering – These printable mats include a number word, number formation, and number recognition.
Alphabet Playdough Mats from 123 Homeschool 4 Me – These abc playdough mats focus on letter recognition and letter formation.
Other:
Fun activities with playdough are a fun way for older children to express their creativity. They are the perfect way for kids of different ages to have fun with the same activity (babysitters, older and younger siblings, etc.)
sarah Meagher
Monday 23rd of November 2015
It looks like some of the links or defunct...just a heads up I couldn't find the mats or the 2 teaching mama site
Nicole
Monday 23rd of November 2015
Fixed. Thanks!
prozac and pregnancy birth defects
Thursday 29th of March 2012
Playdough- number 1 toy ever. For me it's the cheapest simplest trick to get my kids busy for a couple of hours.
Laura @ Beholding Glory
Wednesday 28th of March 2012
Thanks!
Amber
Saturday 24th of March 2012
Brilliant post! I've never seen play dough mats before, my DD will love them!
purplesunset24
Saturday 24th of March 2012
Great idea to cover mats with contact paper. I have a few that needs to be protected. Now I need to look up some of those mats that you have links for. Thanks!