Objective

By the end of this lesson, the student will improve their finger dexterity and fine motor skills through engaging and creative play with play dough. They will learn to manipulate the dough in various ways, enhancing their hand strength and coordination while having fun!

Materials and Prep

• Play dough (any color or homemade)
• Clean surface for play
• Optional: Cookie cutters or molds (if available)

Before starting, ensure the play dough is fresh and soft. If it's too hard, you can knead it a bit to make it easier to work with. Choose a clean and spacious area for the student to play freely.

Activities

• Shape Making

  Encourage the student to roll the play dough into different shapes like balls, snakes, and stars. This will help them practice their finger movements and control.

• Stamping Fun

  If cookie cutters or molds are available, let the student use them to stamp shapes into the dough. This activity enhances their grip and precision as they press down the cutters.

• Animal Creations

  Challenge the student to create their favorite animal using play dough. They can use their fingers to pinch, roll, and shape the dough into different parts like legs and tails. This encourages creativity and fine motor skills.

• Play Dough Letters

  Have the student form letters of the alphabet using the play dough. This activity combines letter recognition with finger dexterity, making learning fun and interactive.

Talking Points

• "Look how your fingers can squish and roll the dough! What shape can you make next?"
• "Can you make a long snake? Let’s see how long you can make it!"
• "What animal do you want to create? Let’s use our fingers to make it special!"
• "Can you make the letter 'A' with your dough? What other letters can you create?"
• "How does the play dough feel? Is it soft or hard? Can you make it softer?"
• "Great job! Look at all the shapes you made! What’s your favorite one?"