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NC Foundations for Early Learning and Development

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NC Foundations for Early Learning and Development

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Leaves are a natural occurring material that teach young children about color, senses, and texture while also providing children the chance to improve fine motor skills.

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Satin ribbon is a beautiful material with various uses. It can be used for texture and sensory play with young children.

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Cardboard is another common household material that aids as a canvas for texture play and painting.

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Contact paper is normally used to cover and protect flat surfaces, but can specifically be used with young children with the sticky side up as a texture play experience.

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Felt paper features numerous colors and allows children to explore color, texture, and sensory play. The natural softness of this material makes it suitable for babies.

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Bubblewrap is a common household material that can engage children in both texture and sensory play. The nature of bubblewrap also allows for children to work on fine motor skills and coordination.

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This link leads to a lesson plan developed by Aurora Tollestrup, a teacher with a Bachelor's of Science in Education. The objective of the lesson plan is to teach young children to explore the relationship between cause and effect. This lesson plan complies with the CDA competency standard II.5.1a to encourage curiosity, creativity, exploration, and discovery with an activity that involves developmentally appropriate materials. In this lesson plan, the goal is to create a sensory bag using a ziploc bag, duct tape, hair gel, food coloring, a black marker, and a marble. This activity involves color, texture, and sensory play as well as coordination to move the marble.

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Activities encourage curiosity, exploration and discovery
​a) Activities involve developmentally appropriate, hands-on experiences

To prepare materials:

Use the black marker to draw a curved line onto the inside of the Ziplock bag.

Add hair gel and marble to the Ziplock bag, close securely.

You may add clear packing tape around the edges of the bag if you desire.

For the activity:

Invite the children to explore the sensory bag by moving the marble along the black line.

Young infants may enjoy the texture of the gel in the bag, while mobile infants may be fascinated with the movement of the marble.

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Activities encourage curiosity, exploration and discovery ​a) Activities involve developmentally appropriate, hands-on experiences To prepare materials: Use the black marker to draw a curved line onto the inside of the Ziplock bag. Add hair gel and marble to the Ziplock bag, close securely.

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Plain white paper can teach young children about cause and effect relationships and aid in texture play. A blank piece of paper is always useful in prompting imagination and creativity.

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This is an example of process art from an article by Brighter Futures Indiana specifically for infants. This article reiterates the importance of process art instead of product art by stating the benefits: exploring texture, color, and cause and effect while valuing individual imagination and creativity.

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Instead of only using a plain piece of paper as a canvas for finger painting, why not let infants use multiple materials with various textures as the canvas? Materials such as felt paper, cardboard, satin ribbon, contact paper, bubble wrap, and even leaves provide a rich sensory and texture play experience while also allowing for the use of imagination, creativity, expression, and coordination through the versatility of finger paint. Overall, this experience allows infants to explore every concept of this project.

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Paint is versatile because it has many uses and allows children to explore color, texture, and sensory experiences in a very independent way. Non-toxic, washable paint is essential for the use of young children.

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Wooden utensils are also common household materials that aid in sensory and texture play while teaching children fine motor skills and coordination and introducing color.

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Measuring spoons are another common household material that can be used in sensory play. These help young children work on their fine motor skills and coordination while also introducing colors.

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Cheerios are not only a delicious snack for babies, but when blended finely can produce edible, safe sand for texture and sensory play.

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This video of an infant at an Apple Montessori School in New Jersey demonstrates the practice of finger painting. As a description to the video, the school explained the importance of art activities in shaping early brain development. Some of the benefits listed in the description include promoting imagination and creativity, sensory exploration, and learning about color.

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Infant Finger Painting at Apple Montessori

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Art activities are important for brain development in early childhood. Some of the many benefits include sensory exploration, fine motor development, express...

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Sponges are a common household material that can aid in water play and painting with young children. Sponges have a unique texture for children to engage with. These sponges are featured in many colors as well.

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Water is a natural material that can be used in a variety of ways. Young children can engage in water play using all of their senses.

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Goal APL-2: Children actively seek to understand the world around them.

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Goal APL-2: Children actively seek to understand the world around them.

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- Explore the indoor and
outdoor environment
using all available
senses—smell, hear, see,
feel and taste. APL-2a
- With appropriate supports,
move toward interesting
people, sounds, objects,
and activities. APL-2b

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Cheerio Sand for Safe, Edible Sensory Bin Play

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Cheerio Sand for Safe, Edible Sensory Bin Play

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Using sand in a sensory bin is a widely-accepted practice in early childhood education, however using store bought sand with infants is not considered developmentally appropriate because infants explore things with their mouths and sand should not be ingested. However, blending cheerios into fine grains can be used as a safe, edible option to store bought sand! This would safely allow for infants to have an open-ended, process-oriented texture and sensory play experience that promotes cognitive skills, motor skills, visual skills, development of cause and effect, and more.

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Goal APL-4: Children demonstrate creativity, imagination, and inventiveness.

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Goal APL-4: Children demonstrate creativity, imagination, and inventiveness.

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- Use everyday
household objects for
play (spoons, pots and
pans, plastic bowls).
APL-4a

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Goal HPD-5: Children develop small muscle control and hand-eye coordination to manipulate objects and work with tools.

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Goal HPD-5: Children develop small muscle control and hand-eye coordination to manipulate objects and work with tools.

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- Use both hands to
swipe at, reach for,
grasp, hold, shake, and
release objects.
HPD-5a

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Goal CD-4: Children demonstrate appreciation for different forms of artistic expression.

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Goal CD-4: Children demonstrate appreciation for different forms of artistic expression.

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- Hold, touch, and
experience different
textures (fuzzy blanket,
smooth skin, rough
carpet). CD-4b

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Goal CD-5: Children demonstrate self-expression and creativity in a variety of forms and contexts, including play, visual arts, music, drama, and dance.

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Goal CD-5: Children demonstrate self-expression and creativity in a variety of forms and contexts, including play, visual arts, music, drama, and dance.

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- Use toys and
household objects
in a variety of
different ways
during play (wave,
then scrunch, then
throw scarf). CD-5a
- Explore sensory
properties of art
media (smear paint,
pat and pound
dough). CD-5b

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- senses
- color
- texture
- creativity
- imagination
- coordination
- interest
- expression

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Water Play for Infant Development - Emerge Pediatric Therapy

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In this video, Dr. Sarah Johnson - a registered and licensed pediatric occupational therapist - explains the many benefits of water play with infants while giving different examples of how to safely engage in this type of play. Some of the benefits that Dr. Johnson highlighted include development of cognitive skills, motor skills, imagination, attention to task, cause and effect, and visual skills with depth perception. For younger infants, Dr. Johnson suggested using a store bought tummy time water mat or homemade water mat for a mess-free water play experience. For mobile infants, she suggested using a baking sheet or container. Although these would lead to more messy play, they also benefit infants by creating a more texture and sensory engaging experience. She also suggested adding glitter, shapes, kitchen utensils, and floating materials for play.

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Because my targeted age group is mobile infants, my quality questions are formatted for what I would want to talk about to the children to help them make connections to the concepts chosen.
- What if we mixed different colors together? What would we see?
- How does the cardboard feel in comparison to the satin ribbon?
- How do our fingers move when playing and painting?
- What happens when we put our hands in the water? The pile of paint? The play dough? The cheerio sand?
- Why is there a stick at one end of the popsicle?

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Edible play dough is necessary for use with young children under the age of 2. Play dough is a type of modeling clay that comes in multiple colors and can teach children about color, texture, and sensory experiences while also aiding in fine motor skills and coordination.

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This article from NAEYC highlights the benefits of young children playing with play dough. Play dough is an open-ended, process-oriented material that allows children to create their own ideas, be curious, and solve problems. Play dough can even benefit children emotionally and socially as squeezing, pounding, and flattening the dough can release tension. This article stresses how play dough allows children to engage in "symbolic thinking" and pretend play. Along with listing all of the benefits, this article also features a few homemade play dough recipes; essential for infants who explore with taste!

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Squishing, rolling, sculpting, molding . . . young children love to play with playdough. Add some props from around the home and playdough play becomes a powerful way to support your child's learning. This simple preschool staple lets children use their imaginations and strengthen the small muscles in their fingers-the same muscles they will one day use to hold a pencil and write. Using playdough with you, a friend, or siblings supports your child's social skills such as sharing, taking turns, and enjoying being with other people. Playdough also encourages children's language and literacy, science, and math skills-all at the same time!

Homemade or out of a can, playdough can provide hours of fun and learning at home. Besides the playdough, all you need are a clear surface, a few household items, and lots of time for fun.
Around-the-House Playdough Props

Birthday candles

Blocks

Bottle caps

Cookie cutters

Combs

Garlic press (be prepared to give it up forever)

Large buttons andother objects that can be pressed into the playdough to make a design

Feathers

Leaves, twigs, pebbles

Plastic knives, forks, and spoons

Rolling pin or bottle

Small toy people and animals

Straws

String or shoelaces

Tea strainer

Toothpicks (only for older children)

What children learn

Playdough play at home or school supports development and learning in many areas. When children use playdough, they explore ideas and try different approaches until they find one that works. They compare and contrast objects ("Mine's a fat pancake and yours is skinny"), actions ("No, don't cut it! Scrape it, like this"), and experiences ("We're not making a snake-we're making a road"). In their experimenting, children come up with their own ideas, satisfy their curiosity, and analyze and solve problems. These are all skills that help children learn and succeed in school.

Social and emotional development

Creating with playdough lets children feel competent ("I'm good at rolling the dough") and proud of their accomplishments ("Hey, I made a dog"). Pounding, flattening, and squeezing are healthy and safe outlets for extra energy. They can also help children cope with strong feelings. When children seem stressed or angry, get out the playdough and props!

During playdough time at school, children talk about what they're making and how. Re-create this atmosphere at home by inviting siblings or playmates and including yourself in the play. Make comments about their work ("You cut it again"). Ask questions so children can describe and think about what they are doing ("What does this do?"). Connect their play to the real world ("Can you make a red tomato? A green one might not be ripe"). Teach cooperation ("I can help you make your car"), and observe and compare actions ("I'm rolling my dough too"). Interactions like these contribute to development and learning, helping to prepare children for success in school and in life.

Creativity and imagination

With playdough, young children express their ideas through art and make-believe play. At the same time, they learn symbolic thinking by pretending that the playdough is something else ("That thing with the antlers is a moose").

As 3-year-old Anna plays, she makes and names her many creations:

Anna squeezes a piece of playdough and rolls it back and forth between her hands. "I made a worm!" she exclaims. Then she makes another long object and places it on top of the first one. "I made another worm-a bigger one!" Then Anna squishes some playdough together; There's a turkey sandwich for you." Next, she rolls a ball of dough around, pounds it down on the table, and sticks several plastic knives vertically into the pile. "Look, a birthday cake with candles!" Anna declares. She pokes the pile with a spoon, raises the spoon to her mouth, and pretends to eat. "Yummy!" she says.

As Anna makes her cake and eats it too, she engages in simple pretend play. Your child might pretend to make tortillas, dumplings, or pizza, or create alligators, airplanes, or houses.

Older preschoolers-say, 4- or 5-year-olds-often make detailed playdough creations. With one or more friends, they may imagine themselves to be construction workers building a highway, prehistoric hunters pursuing a woolly mammoth, or pastry chefs baking and selling cookies, cupcakes, and donuts at a bakery. You can join in their pretend play too!

Language and literacy

Through playdough play at home, children practice listening to and talking with friends, siblings, and adults (you!). Materials like playdough help children build their vocabulary as they explain what they are doing. For example, when a child exclaims, "Chop!" as she brings down the plastic knife, she uses just the right word to describe her action.

Children use language to invent stories about their playdough creations. You may notice your child using facts or ideas from books you've read together. Children also refer to things they did or saw in their everyday lives ("This is a burrito like we had at lunch").

When the two of you make a batch of playdough together, your child learns about print and why people write. Following the recipe helps him connect written and spoken words and learn that writing can be used for different purposes. In this case, the writing explains how to make playdough. Encourage him to roll snakes and use them to form letters. Discuss action words like pound and slice and descriptive words like mushy and sticky.

These types of experiences help children learn new words and communicate their thoughts and ideas effectively-skills they will need when they learn to read and write in the primary grades.

Science

Young children learn about science through hands-on experiences. They learn by observing, thinking, and talking about how materials feel and how they change. You can encourage scientific thinking. Provide sawdust or sand to add to the playdough and then talk about how this new kind of dough looks and feels. Introduce words like texture, grainy, smooth, and lumpy.

Your child might declare, "I'm making this flat!" as she pushes down on playdough with the palm of her hand. Or she may say, "I'm making it soft," as she adds water to dry playdough to make it more pliable. When you ask, "What do you think would happen if we added too much water?" you are helping her understand the scientific concept of cause and effect.

Math

Measure and count while you make a batch of playdough together. Your child can learn about measurement and numbers by filling the cup and comparing the size of teaspoons and tablespoons, and about counting as he adds the ingredients.

Children note changes in shape and size as they comment on, compare, and contrast the objects they make ("I made a triangle" and "Mine is a tiny ball and yours is big"). Others notice who has more or less playdough. Ask your child to count how many pieces she is making or to arrange her creations by size or color. Encourage mathematical thinking by asking, "What shape is that?" "Which snake is longer?" or "How many pieces do you have now?"

These play experiences encourage children to practice counting, learn about shapes (geometry) and how they relate to each other (spatial sense), and practice sorting and classifying. Such mathematical ways of thinking prepare children for learning more complex math concepts in the coming years.

Physical development

While poking, rolling, and squishing playdough, children develop the small muscles in their fingers and hands. They use hands, fingers, and tools to pound, push, poke, shape, flatten, roll, cut, and scrape. Through these manipulations, children develop eye-hand coordination, the ability to match hand movement with eye movement. They also gain strength and improve dexterity in their hands and fingers, critical areas of physical development for writing, drawing, and other purposes.

Playdough is a powerful learning tool for many reasons. And when you play with playdough at home with your children, you'll discover the most important reason of all: it's just plain fun!

Playdough recipes

On-Cloud-9-Dough
What you need: Directions:

1. Mix water and food coloring in bowl

2. Add flour and oil

3. Stir

4. Knead until smooth

For the first step, children can drop the food coloring in the water and watch the color spread.

Dough can be reused; store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Bouncy Playdough
What you need: Directions:

1. Place ingredients in bowl

2. Mix with fork

3. Place mixture in saucepan

4. Bring to boil on medium heat

5. Cook, stirring constantly with spoon, until thick

6. Let cool

:
Only the supervising adult should test the dough's temperature. Dough can be reused; store on shelf in an airtight container.

Both recipes are from Laura J. Colker, The Cooking Book: Fostering Young Children's Learning and Delight. 2005. Washington, DC: NAEYC
Download PDF versions of both playdough recipes.
Source: Adapted from M.I. Swartz, 2005, "Playdough: What's Standard about It?," Young Children 60 (2): 100-09.

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Playdough encourages children's language and literacy, science, and math skills-all at the same time!