Playdough Bugs
These playdough bugs are fun to squish again and again. They are simple to create, making them a fun activity any time of the year.
Benefits of Playing with Playdough
Creativity
With playdough, the possibilities of what to make are only limited by your imagination. The more you play, the more you can conjure up things to create.
Kids need open-ended opportunities to be creative. Playing with playdough can help them create shapes, mix playdough together to create different colors, and experiment with designs.
Fine Motor Development
Playdough can be tough! Tough dough makes strong muscles. It’s a good thing that dough is fun to play with, making it easier for little ones to use it to help build their hand muscles.
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Color Mixing
Whether you are on team mix the playdough or not, color mixing will happen at some point. As much as it makes some of us adults shutter, it’s a great learning opportunity for little ones to see how the colors mix.
Ironically, some playdough boxes have color mixing guides on the side.
Encourages Problem Solving
Playdough doesn’t always do what little ones envision, which can frustrate them (and, in turn, you). Help your little one walk through problem-solving if they need it.
The more practice your preschooler has problem-solving, the better they get at it. Eventually, they will be able to solve problems themselves.
Improves Focus and Patience
Detailed work, like making playdough bugs, requires little ones to focus and be patient. The legs may not stay in the playdough bug, and the eyes may pop off.
Encourage your little one to think about what they can do a bit differently (like pushing them into the body more) to get these items to stay on their playdough bugs.
Items Needed
*playdough (homemade or store-bought)
*chenille stems (two per bug; each stem cut into thirds)
*googly eyes
*scissors
How To Make Playdough Bugs
1. Gather different supplies and get them ready to use for the playdough bugs. Chenille stems and googly eyes are fine additions to start with.
You’ll need to cut each chenille stem into thirds so it isn’t as long, and you’ll have enough to make a playdough bug with six legs.
2. Get the playdough out of the can (why is it so challenging?!).
3. Divide the dough into two pieces. One larger piece and one smaller piece.
4. Roll each playdough piece separately into a ball. You should end up with two balls.
5. Connect the smaller ball (the head) of the playdough to the larger ball of the playdough.
6. Add three legs on each side of the playdough bug. Put two eyes on the head.
7. Make the playdough bugs your own. Using a toothpick (or the end of a chenille stem), draw a smile on it.
Homemade Bugs
The possibilities for playdough bugs are endless. Add different odds and ends to the table to make your little one’s imagination go wild, creating new insects.
