Playing with dough

Three year old Seb is playing with some dough, utensils and a cardboard box. He explores what he can do with it physically and what he can imagine it is using lots of mathematical language and rich descriptions as he works.

Good for looking at

• Play with objects
• Tool use
• Imagination
• Maths
• Language
• Self talk
• Fine motor skills

Three year old Seb is playing with some dough, utensils and a cardboard box. He explores what he can do with it physically and what he can imagine it is.

Notice

• How do we know what Seb is interested in?  Be specific, look out for body language, actions, gestures.
• How is Seb learning? Which areas of development, engagement and characteristics of learning can you observe?
• In what ways do the adults support Seb’s learning?
• What is valuable about the materials provided?

Reflect

What are your thoughts about:

• What Seb was interested in?
• How was he expressing himself creatively?
• Seb’s level of development?
• What areas of learning and development were covered during his play?
• The role of the adult in this interaction – how did she support Seb?
• The value of this type of pretend play for Seb?

Respond

What would you do to:

• Support Seb’s interest in baking and sharing food?
• Encourage him to talk about what he is learning e.g. observing the patterns he’s creating in his dough?

What next:

• Can you think about the kind of open ended materials you provide that could encourage these kind of activities in your setting?
• How can you support rich language experiences for children in your setting? Do you see them use this during their play?