Playdough Lesson Plans

Oobleck Recipes

Sensory Play

Literature Lesson Plans

Gingerbread Man Slime

Lesson Plan:

​Activity:

Gingerbread Man Slime 

Lesson plan developed by Aurora Tollestrup, BS Ed

Age Group:

Preschool

* Lesson plan objective and assessment can be adapted to use this activity with school-age children.

Objectives:  

Children will:

• create their own version of a gingerbread man after listening to the popular children’s book.

CDA Competency Standard:   

II.6.3a

• Candidate reads to children in a developmentally appropriate manner.
  • a) Reads to children engagingly    

Gingerbread Man Slime

Materials: 

• The Gingerbread Man Book
• gingerbread man slime
• buttons
• ​googley eyes  

Slime Recipes

Procedure: 

• Create the gingerbread man slime and have it ready.
• Read The Gingerbread Man to the children in a developmentally appropriate manner.
  
• Use exciting descriptions and a narrative voice when reading the book.
  
• Also, be sure to show pictures of the gingerbread man as much as possible.
• After reading invite the children to create their own gingerbread men with the gingerbread slime and accessories.
  
• Children can shape the slime into the shape of the gingerbread man and use the accessories to make him “come to life.”  

Assessment: 

• Assess children’s gingerbread men creations. Did they make it look just like the one in the book? Did your reading style of the book influence their depictions in any way that you could tell?  

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Language and Literacy Development

Language development begins from birth and continues throughout childhood. One of the most effective methods of language development is in communicating with peers. Children can communicate on similar levels and encourage one another in shared interests and activities. Playdough opens the door to these experiences. When children are gathered around the playdough table they are engaging with one another and developing speaking and listening skills.

“Look at the snake!” one child will exclaim. “Can I use the red playdough?” another will ask. Children will discuss, explain, question, observe and more, all furthering their language development. Discussing colors, shapes and more will give children practice developing vocabulary words and learning language skills through peer interaction. They are conversing and learning about their peers as well as the world around them. Sharing information about their lives is part of interacting with peers. They may make creations from the playdough that mimic their real world. For example several children may create food or objects from a book that was read to them at story time. Children may also create playdough food items after lunch. They are communicating their understanding of their world in these simple and fun ways.

Ice Cream Dough

“Look at the snake!” one child will exclaim. “Can I use the red playdough?” another will ask. Children will discuss, explain, question, observe and more, all furthering their language development. Discussing colors, shapes and more will give children practice developing vocabulary words and learning language skills through peer interaction. They are conversing and learning about their peers as well as the world around them. Sharing information about their lives is part of interacting with peers. They may make creations from the playdough that mimic their real world. For example several children may create food or objects from a book that was read to them at story time. Children may also create playdough food items after lunch. They are communicating their understanding of their world in these simple and fun ways.  

Children will also use language that they are often exposed to during playdough play. Introducing new tools and methods of working the playdough will give them more vocabulary to practice during this play. For example, verbs such as push, roll, flatten, squeeze and more are common to the playdough table for older children and can be introduced to younger ones. Also, the names of tools such as spatula, spreader, whisk, mold, and more can be learned and exercised expanding the child’s vocabulary.
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For school-age children, you can combine vocabulary or spelling practice with playdough play by creating simple games. Other options include combining playdough with literacy, STEM, social studies and more. Children can create overlays on maps from playdough to practice geography skills and learn the names of continents and countries. They can also use playdough to extend their literacy work in many different ways.