It's no secret that considering ideas for crafting at parties can seem daunting; all those sticky fingers mucking up your home. It doesn't have to be an overwhelming situation though. I recently had several children at my house, (aged between 3 and 12). To keep them entertained I bought out the modelling clay. To make it more interesting, I added googly eyes and a decorated play-mat, and gave them the instruction to 'make creatures'.The elder children enjoyed making snails and monsters, and helping the younger children improve their slugs and snakes. The great thing about the googly eyes is that anything they created, no matter how basic, seemed instantly more 'life-like' as the eyes wriggled and rolled about.
Here's my top 7 ways to make play-dough more interesting:
- Googly eyes - they're affordable and fun, (but not for the very young).
- Candles - what quicker way to convince your children they're making gorgeous cakes than to let them have some burnt-down candles to pop on top of their creations. Rubber baking moulds could also come in handy if you're children are playing-kitchen.
- Play mat (if you don't have a purpose-designed one, then use a sheet of glossy wrapping paper, landscape pictures torn from a glossy magazine, laminated placemats, or print out my free downloadable kids art projects - especially the versions of Monet's waterlily-bridge, or Dali's surrealist landscapes) - the great thing about adding a backdrop, is that the things the children make have an instant place to play, and it is so much easier for them to fashion stories and adventures with their new handmade wonders.
- Surprises - small treasures, including keys, buttons, small plastic toys... if you're having a themed party then try to find appropriate treasures to hide (such as gold coins and plastic gems for a pirate party).
- Glitter - even a small sprinkle adds sparkle.
- Fragrance - look for natural extracts like vanilla or orange, tea tree or eucalyptus oil. Keep this trick for preschoolers rather than toddlers, as foody-smells can make the play-dough seem even more edible.
- String - use pieces of wool or yarn to add hair to the masterpieces they make, or use it to make a necklace after the children have made beads and air-dried them (or baked them slowly at low temperatures).
So there you go - play-dough doesn't have to be boring, and if you're up for the party-challenge; bring some out next time you have guests over and the weather turns bad.
