Materials
- playdough (see recipe below)
- cookie cutters
- playdough tools
What to do
1. Make playdough beforehand using the following recipe. This recipe is easy to make, and produces a very soft dough that feels good to knead.
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup salt
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon oil
- food coloring or Liquid Watercolor
2. Combine flour, salt, and cream of tartar. Set aside. Bring water, oil, and food coloring to a boil. Pour into the dry mixture. Mix until it is cool enough to knead. Store in an airtight container.
3. Put playdough out on the tables before the children arrive. When the children come in, they can play with the playdough. This is a fun way to start the day as you wait for the entire class to arrive.
4. For variety, make a new color every month or add special touches to the playdough such as glitter, scented oils, or a package of Kool-Aid to engage the senses.
-Gail Morris, Kemah, TX
Instructions
1. At departure time, seat the children at a table.
2. Distribute the masks or puppets to the children.
3. Instruct the children to hold the masks in front of their faces and pretend to
be the character represented in the artwork.
4. When parents arrive, tell them that the children are all gone and "all we have
left here are raccoons (or whatever mask they are wearing)." Then say, "You
can choose one of them to take home." Children love to think that they are
in on a secret, and they enjoy the anticipation of waiting to be found, as in
hide and seek or peek-a-boo.
5. As an alternative, have the children hide under a table and let the parents
"find" them.
