Making play dough is a significant technological learning process for children. From participating in these learning experiences children learn and develop a range of useful and beneficial skills. In our centre children often approach me asking if we can make play dough. When the children approach me I ask them to help me to get all the required tools we need. We support children to use their initiative by collecting all the resources by doing so children develop independence. I encourage the children to make the play dough themselves although for safety reasons I add in the hot water (Ministry of Education, 1996). During these learning experiences children often talk about previous experiences they’ve had making play dough and contribute their opinions of what they have done that was different or the same (Gonzalez-Mena, 2008). The children take the instructions and look at the pictures to help refresh their memory and see the process of what we need to do to make the play dough. The children learn that the picture symbols represent the play dough process. Our instructions have pictures on them, I read out the number we need to measure and the children measure out all the ingredients (Hamer & Adams, 2003). These pictures teach children that the print and pictures have a purpose. As the children follow the play dough recipe they are developing their literacy skills and knowledge of print awareness. Children are able to then make the connections between written and spoken words (Campbell, 2000).
The children often ask if we can make the play dough certain colours by doing so developing their vocabulary, language and inquisitive skills. If children want to change the ingredients in the play dough they will go over to the resource cupboard and get what they want to put into the play dough. In these learning experiences children are learning science concepts by experimenting with different ingredients and observing the different results (Ministry of Education, 2007). When experimenting children can document in different ways what happened and see what to do differently next time. The children learn to make confident decisions and develop creativity and creative thinking skills when exploring other options (Ministry of Education, 1996). When making play dough we use a big bowl to mix all the ingredients together and children use both arms to mix developing their physical gross motor skills. Children are also able to develop their hand-eye co-ordination and controlled movements when measuring out ingredients and placing them into the bowl (Gonzalez-Mena, 2008).
When making play dough children learn basic mathematical concepts when they measure out the different amounts of particular ingredients. Children learn to count when measuring out cup sizes and numbers of spoonfuls. The children experience working with the different textures of the play dough before and after it is made (Peters and Rameka, 2010). Children explore and experiment with the play dough and learn about temperatures when feeling the play dough when it is hot, warm and cold.
This non digital technological learning experience encourages social interactions between children (Doyle& Connolly, 1980). At times during these learning experiences children decided they don’t want to share the tools we use. I leave the children to work these problems out for themselves. My personal philosophy believes that when children are given the opportunity to work things out for themselves they develop confidence, problem solving skills and become more competent in doing so in future situations (Ministry of Education, 1996).
Reference List:
Arthur, L., Beecher, B., Death, E., Dockett, S., & Farmer, S. (2007). Programming and planning in early childhood settings (4th ed.). South Melbourne, Australia: CENGAGE Learning.
Campbell, R. (2000). Language acquisition development and learning. In R. Campbell & D. Green (Eds), Literacies and learners: Current perspectives (pp.77-89). NSW, Australia, Prentice Hall.
Hamer, J., & Adams, P. (2003). The New Zealand early childhood literacy handbook. New Zealand: Dunmore
Doyle, A., & Connolly, J. (1980). The effect of playmate familiarity on the social interactions of young children. Child Development, 51, 217-223.
Gonzalez-Mena, J. (2009). Foundations of early childhood education: Teaching children in a diverse society (4th ed.). Boston, Ma: McGraw Hill.
MacNaughton, G., & Williams, G. (2009). Techniques for teaching young children: Choices in theory and practice (3rd ed.). Frenchs Forrest, Australia: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa : Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
Ministry of Education. (2004). Kei tua o te pae assessment for learning: Early childhood exemplars. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
Hayley I really enjoyed reading about how you allow the children to take control of their own learning. For me this is also important as I feel that children should be given as many opportunities to have control of their own learning and making play dough with the children is a great way to allow this to happen as they are able to do all the work with your support. A good thing to remember this is a good time to ask the children questions and making play dough is a very good teachable moment, where you are able to talk to the children about how adding different things together makes it turn into a different texture and how they can feel the difference of each ingredient going into the bowl. I really liked how much information you have put in this blog about the children’s learning and how you looked at it from so many learning possibilities.
ReplyDeleteKia Ora Hayley, I really enjoyed reading this blog and all the different things you get up to with just making play dough. I like how you foster children’s independence by encouraging them to get the ingredients, making them feel valued and important straight from the beginning of the process.
ReplyDeleteI love the use of process cooking where children can follow the recipe. I also like how you allow the children to experiment without the recipe, it’s so exciting watching the children problem solve and try to recall what needs to go in, or what they want to go into the mixture. One time we made play dough with sand and sticks, it didn’t turn out that good but the children loved the experience and that what matters.
I can see that you are putting your philosophy of “allowing children the opportunity to work things out for themselves” throughout this whole experience, which is also building their social competence skills with each other.
Hi Hayley,
ReplyDeleteFrom reading your blog, it is evident that you allow the children to take control of their own learning, and give them the opportunity to problem solve. You give great detail, and I am able to visually see what you are talking about.
I love how you use photos throughout the recipe process, as it helps to teach the children about symbols, representation and they are visually able to see what each of the measurements look like.
I like how you mention that you engage in conversations with the children about what colours they would like the play dough to be. Maybe you could explore the different textures that you could add to the play dough? for example, sand or glitter. This could spark interesting conversations about how it feels to them.
Nice work :)
Kia Ora Hayley,
ReplyDeleteI love you teaching philosophy and wish more people would work with that frame of mind. Playdough is such a great resource and I think that it provides so many learning opportunities for the children. Play dough is something that can be used by an individual child or a group and I occasionly change where i set the environment for the playdough for example under the tree on a big piece of cardboard, on a table in the sand pit or on the top of the outdoor large box's. I found this cool site you may be interested in http://pinterest.com/Pumpspicelatte/playdough/.
I always enjoy the maths concepts that are brough into the making of playdough and the confidence they get in making it themselves. within the above website is a recipe for gingerbread playdough - great for babies but I dont think you would have any left at the end of the day. Thanks for an inspiring blog.