What to do:

• using assorted colors of playdough, (clay or plasticine), children create their own miniature birds, nests, flowers, etc.
• it can be helpful to show the children some basic techniques of molding and shaping their materials
• warm it in your hands by squeezing it and flattening, squeezing and flattening
• roll into a ball by hand or on a surface
• use hands like flat rolling pins to gently work material into a long ‘snake’
• roll a ball, push thumb into centre and gently mold the sides to a small cup or bowl
• wrap ‘snake’ bodies into coils to form sides to a pot or mug
• roll a ball and flatten it into a cookie shape for bases of mugs or bowls; practise joining material together by gently smudging and working material to blend together for strength

N.B. if you use Plasticine (especially yellow and black) be careful it can stain many things – surfaces too! Heat plasticine in microwave (wrap plasticine in plastic) to soften.