Activity: Playdoh Letters

Use playdoh to make words and letters.

I just made an amazing batch of playdoh out of the book First Art. It is gooshy and soft and so much better than the commercial playdoh I don't think I'll ever go back. It has inspired Isadora to make all kinds of wonderful towers, people, and tea party treats with it. But when we aren't making all those fun and creative items, I (of course) slip in a few letters.
Making letters with playdoh is fun! And it is actually a great activity for kids to do. It gets them to really see the structure of the letter before those clumsy little hands can handle the likes of a teeny little pencil. I don't know the research behind it, but I know that almost every kindergarten class that I have ever visited had their students doing playdoh letters.
I keep it pretty low key. I just ask Isadora if she want to spell her name, and can she help me make playdoh snakes for the letters. On this particular day she did not want to spell her name, but wanted to spell "pink" in the dough. Go figure.