What do you see when you watch a small group of children as they play with Play Doh? On the surface, it looks simple and perhaps a little messy. It is, however, a complex situation. As in most things, there is more going on than what is immediately apparent. Let’s take a look.

• There is decision making about participating, and what color to choose.
• There is negotiating to get a place to stand and some of the Play Doh.
• There is math involved in splitting the Play Doh equitably.
• There is creativity with three dimensional art forms.
• There is fine muscle and dexterity development, which leads to improved grip and writing skills.
• There is story telling and dramatic play, as they play together with their creations. This contributes to an increasing vocabulary and listening comprehension.
• There are huge opportunities for social and emotional skill development. This includes asking for what you need, or want, learning to share agreeably, politeness, taking turns, conversational skills, dealing with different personalities, kindness, generosity, establishing friendships, team building and conflict resolution.
• There is self-control in stopping when time is up.
• There is cooperation and responsibility involved in cleaning and putting the supplies away at the end.

Playing is hard work!