Birdseed Playdough

It seems like an obvious recipe, and indeed it is, but here’s a picture recipe in case it helps:

Start with the Classic Playdough Recipe.

Add birdseeds (or your favorite assortment of seeds).  You can knead the seeds in after the dough is made, or place the seeds in a bowl on the same table as the playdough and let the little ones do the dirty work.

Some of you might think this is a waste of good playdough, but it actually creates a new sensory experience.  In fact, if you let the children play with the regular playdough for a few days, and then introduce the seeds, the change in texture will be more pronounced (and you might feel a little better about getting your miles out of the dough).  As the children work the dough and build fine motor strength they also pick up new vocabulary (with guidance of course).  Soon they’re using words like gritty, bumpy, smooth, and texture.  The children may even begin identifying the seeds that they recognize.  Some children may want to pretend to plant the seeds in the dough, which gives you the opportunity to talk more about what the seeds need to grow.

So it’s not just about changing it up, though it certainly does that, and I’m not just crazy, though that could also be debated. 

For more Seeds & Plants activities, click here.

Above photos by chrissi and adlie.