Playdough is one of my favourite sensory materials. It lends itself well to all kinds of fine motor practise and leaning opportunities. As you may know by now, learning through sensory play is something I am a big advocate for. This apple tree colour and counting playdough game is a great example of that.
This easy activity is suitable for preschoolers who are just learning these concepts or even for children in Kindergarten or early elementary to help reenforce colour and counting concepts.
Apple Tree Colour and Counting Playdough Game:
Supplies needed:
- red, yellow, green, and brown playdough (you can use store bought or make your own)
- number dice
- colour dot dice
Directions:
- Form the trunk of the tree using brown playdough by rolling it into a long rope. If you don’t have brown playdough, you can mix equal parts orange and blue playdough to create kind of a grey-brown.
- Tear off sections of the green playdough and flatten them out. These will form the leaves of the tree.
- Invite your child to place the leaves on the tree trunk.
- Have your child roll small balls of yellow, red, and green playdough. These will be the apples.
- Set out one colour dot dice and one standard number dice.
- Have the child roll both dice.
- Encourage them to count the number on the dice and name the colour shown on the other dice.
- The child can then add that number of “apples” to the tree in the colour that was rolled.
Sensory and Learning Opportunities:
Through the tearing, shaping, rolling, and squeezing of the playdough, the visual, tactile, and proprioceptive sensory systems are engaged.
Kids get fine motor practise by shaping the small “apples” and carefully placing them on the tree.
This playdough game is a great way to learn or reenforce colours as the child matches what is rolled on the colour block dice to the coloured balls.
Early math skills are worked on both by counting up the numbers on the dice and by counting out the corresponding amount of balls to place on the apple tree.
If more than one child plays this game at a time, it can also work on social skills such as turn taking and encouragement.
Vocabulary and communication are also improved in children by playing games such as these.
Colour Dot Dice
Regular DicePlay-Doh Modelling Compound
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You may also be interested in these playdough activities:
Rainbow Colour and Counting Playdough Game
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