Preschool Party Theme – Play Dough

Plan an entire party around a simple but favorite activity for preschoolers – Play Dough! Make a big batch of home-made play dough for a party theme that is low cost and high interest for preschoolers. Add budget friendly dough tools for unusual party favors that preschoolers will use with play dough throughout their preschool years. Play dough is a hands on party theme that pleases all preschoolers.

Play Dough Party Invitations

Tiny Play Dough Baggies - Make up one batch of play dough. Put teaspoon sized balls of home made play dough into snack sized baggies. Cut an index card in half, write invitation information on the card and add it to the baggy. Place the half index card in an envelope and mail or hand out.

Caption Ideas for Index Cards – “Squeeze Say You’ll Come to My Party!” (The kids won’t get it, but the parents will think it’s cute.)

Making Homemade Play Dough

Plan your color scheme or type of home-made play dough around the party theme or the birthday child’s preferences. Search the internet for a variety of easy play dough recipes.

A Simple Play Dough Recipe

1 cup flour

½ cup salt

2 teaspoons cream of tartar (sold in the spice section at grocery stores)

1 cup water

1 Tablespoon cooking oil

food coloring

In saucepan, mix flour, salt and cream of tartar. Add water, oil and food coloring (to your desired color). Cook on medium heat, stirring until mixture pulls away from sides of pan. Knead immediately. Store in an airtight container.

Play Dough Party Favors

Play Dough Tools - Visit the kitchen section of your local dollar store or discount store. Look for inexpensive all-plastic kitchen gadget tools that will shape play dough. Great finds are meatball shape tongs, garlic presses, hand held potato mashers, pizza cutter, pastry wheels, small rolling pins and melon scoopers.

Plastic Knife - Add a simple plastic knife to the collection of kitchen tools.

Dental Floss – Lastly add a length of dental floss. Preschoolers will be very interested in cutting play dough with dental floss and cutting deep lines in all directions in play dough.

Party Favors During the Party

For a play dough party, give out favors during the party. Preschoolers will get to enjoy the play dough tools and be excited about taking them home.

Play Dough Party Activities

Choose several or all of the following play dough ideas for a fun preschool party.

Play Dough Free Play - Have balls of play dough on a table. Let preschoolers explore only the play dough at first without the additives or tools

Play Dough Mixing - When preschoolers have had lots of time to explore play dough with their hands, it’s time to offer add ins of your choice. Offer preschoolers one or more additives to their personal play dough. Add glitter for sparkle dough, cinnamon or peppermint extract for great smelling dough or coffee grounds for a textured play dough.

Play Dough Buried Treasure - Preschoolers love to hide and find things “buried” in play dough. Set out small objects for preschoolers to hide in lumps of dough so their party friends can find the objects. This is a great use for those fast food meal toys.

Play Dough Tools Exploration - After preschoolers have explored a while with play dough plus add ins, bring out the party favor play dough tools.

Party Favor Decorating - Give each preschooler a sheet or strip of stickers to decorate their party favor play dough tools.

Play Dough Party Preparation Check List

1. Make home made play dough using your favorite recipe.

2. Gather sandwich sized plastic bags for preschoolers to take home their play dough.

3. Gather play dough add ins such as cinnamon and glitter.

4. Buy inexpensive kitchen tools that are fun for shaping play dough.

5. Find stickers for preschoolers to decorate party favors. Cut into strips or sections if needed.

by Kelly Pfeiffer

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