Prepare your child to be a play doh pro with these 3 simple steps.

These 3 steps are simple. They are not easy!

They take time, effort, dedication and consistency.

I speak to hundreds of parents each month and some parents seem to roll their eyes at me when I tell them that I prepare my students to be able to ‘play doh’ in their 4+ Assessments.

They can roll their eyes all they want. I’ve done this for over 15 years. I know exactly how to prepare my students to go into any Assessment and shine if they are asked to complete a play doh activity.

If your child is asked to completed a play doh activity, you will want them to be in the best possible position to actually create what they are asked to create and to create it in a way that will allow them to pass this part of the Assessment!

It is 100% not just the case of going in, handling some play doh, playing with some tools and that’s it. Absolutely not.

Here are the 3 simple steps for you to get started on with your own child.

1. Start young.

As in from as early as you think is safe for your child not to put a piece of play doh in their mouth and swallow it! I’ll let you be the judge of that. I started with my son from 12 months of age. Of course, he was always supervised. I would provide him with a few colours of play doh and just sit with him. He would touch and squeeze the play doh and he adored how it felt in his little hands. I believe that starting play doh so early is one of the reasons that my son has such amazing gross and fine motor skills.

If you haven’t started young, no worries - just start today!

2. Provide your child with new and fresh play doh when needed.

Old play doh is not inspiring at all!

3. Model to your child how to create what you have asked them to create.

Sit next to them, have the picture of what you’d like them to create in front of you both and make it together.

Play doh is beautiful bonding time for myself and my son. He actually likes to sit and do it independently most of the times. Occasionally, he will ask me to join him. Recently, he loved his pizza play doh oven which came with amazing accessories. He loved making his pizza with his pizza doh and toppings and then putting it in the pizza box and giving it to me!

Play doh provides tonnes of opportunities for questioning too!

We love it.

Do you?

In their 4+ Assessment, it is highly likely that your child will face a play doh activity. They could be asked to create something or it could be themed (eg. create something that we found in the story you listened to), they could be asked to use the play doh tools or they could simply be given a selection of play doh and freely choose what they would like to make.

Prepare them and prepare them well for this part of the Assessment. And if it doesn’t come up, who cares? You will have created amazing memories with your child and provided them with so many opportunities for play, growth, strength and just pure fun!

Preparing for your child’s 4+ Assessments? Join our Waiting List Today!