diy play dough

Hi eKa CIRCLE

The best thing about community is learning and sharing knowledge with each other. One of my Insta Love interviews was with one of my great friends Tina that has been on the eKa journey with me since the very beginning of the dream. I have never met a more resourceful woman that is able to make anything she sets her mind to. Today’s post is sharing her diy play dough recipe that she and her son Malanga (age 3) made together. They added a few drops of peppermint oil to the mixture too as that helps with another sensory experience, I thought that was a great idea! Tina is particularly passionate about reintroducing tactile play and encouraging fine motor skills as she works with children in the education system. Her parenting echoes this and Malanga is extremely capable and developed for his young age. Many times I receive videos of Malangas play that never cease to amuse me. To teach something is one thing- to live it is what speaks volumes. Sensory action is so important. And so I share some moments in their family sensory play activity with her permission and very kindly with the recipe.

While we teach young children the simplest of things they learn so very quickly skills that will benefit them through every stage of life. In our busyness it is so often tempting to overlook these simple tasks and mollycoddle children as opposed to letting them make some mess or help. In doing that we are robbing them of skill sets necessary, of tactile development and quality time learning that speaks to so many of their love languages. Doing everything for a child is not the best thing for them long term. Children learn as they feel; they also learn as they make mistakes.

Many younger children are losing the ability to do very simple tasks due to not developing these motor skills. I suppose a lot of that is that everything is now done online. Tina and I discussed this in our interview which I tagged above. Fine motor skills could be described as the small muscle coordination and synchronisation between fingers, hands and eyes. We rely on this to all simple play and very basic everyday tasks. When a child has not developed these skills early it can really affect their ability and confidence. Our advice is to start young. It is also an interesting observation that as one ages that it is also the fine motor skills that decline. The interesting thing is that this type of play is both economical and uses what you have without having to purchase expensive toys.

Oh the mirrors of the beginning and the end of life on earth. Creative play is needed at both important stages of life- for it is creation that brings joy.

Home- Made Play Dough Recipe

1/2 cup fine salt

1 cup plain flour

2 Tbsp cream of tartar

1 cup water

1 Tbsp oil

few drops of each colour of food colouring

Mix all the ingredients except for the food colouring in a medium sized saucepan. Stir over the heat until the dough is pliable. Allow to cool then colour with the food colouring. Store in an airtight container.