Tuesday, September 1, 2015

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Wild Things Scented Monster Play Dough!

Wild Things Scented Monster Play Dough is a fun sensory, fine motor, and creative experience!



Plus, it's the perfect way to use your slightly older play dough...you know the one: the batch where the colors are all starting to mix together a bit!

We made our Wild Things Scented Monster Play Dough to go with one of my all-time favorite books (and the theme for this month's Virtual Book Club!): Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak:


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I have loved this book since I was about six, and I introduced it to my kiddos several years ago.  It has now become a household favorite!  We decided to make scented monster play dough "wild things," and I cannot tell you how fun it was to watch everyone's little monsters and wild things come alive!

All my children, from two to eight years old, were super excited when they saw the supplies displayed in the middle of the table:



They quickly got to work creating their own little monster wild things!  It always amazes me how children know exactly what to do with the supplies for an open ended craft activity!



To set up your own Wild Things Scented Monster Play Dough activity, you will need these

Simple Supplies:

* play dough (used dough with the colors a little mixed works great!)
* essential oils (for scenting the play dough...optional!)
* eyes (monsters need to see!)
* other "wild thing" accessories (We used feathers, toothpicks, pipe cleaners, yarn, and toothy smiles)

Accessory Notes:

1- To make the toothy smiles, I just drew on a piece of egg carton and cut out a flap so the kids could insert the toothy smile into their play dough better:


2- We used feathers from CraftProjectIdeas.com.  I cut the feathers, pipe cleaners, and yarn to about three inches long.


Easy How To:

1- If you're scenting your play dough, add a couple drops of essential oil to the play dough and knead it in.  Brain research is showing that smells are tied to memories, so using sensory activities that include smell can actually help form memories!

2- Arrange all the supplies so that your kiddos can reach them easily.  I love these round trays, but you can just set them all in the middle of the table too!



3- Let your children get busy creating!






They will let you know when they are done!  I love how different each wild thing monster turned out, and yet I think they are all still super adorable!  Some of them even stand up!!







I am sharing this activity as a host for September's Virtual Book Club for kids!  I really hope you join with us each month in this easy way to celebrate and enjoy literacy with your little ones!  Each month the hosts will bring you more than a dozen activities related to one amazing book.  This month, the book is Where the Wild Things Are!


You can read more about the Virtual Book Club here, and join in the fun on the Virtual Book Club Facebook Page here!  Also, be sure to check out all the Where the Wild Things Are themed activities this month:


Name Crown Craft by The Pleasantest Thing (name activities)

Where the Wild Things Are Counting Game by Mom Inspired Life (counting activities)

Wild Things Scented Monster Play Dough! by The Preschool Powol Packets  (sensory activities)

Where the Wilds Things Are Sand Tray from Study at Home Mama (sensory activities)

Where the Wild Things Are Treats by I Can Teach My Child (cooking)

Where the Wild Things Are Monster Glyphs by Inspiration Laboratories (science activities)

Where the wild things are - Mapping our Backyard Habitats by Rainy Day Mum (science activities)


Where the Wild Things Are Color Tree Game by The Educators' Spin On It (color activities)

Where the Wild Things Are Action Word Rumpus by Growing Book by Book (movement activity)

Where the Wild Things Are Gross Motor by 3 Dinosaurs (movement activity)

Make a Wild Thing Shape Craft by Still Playing School (shape activities)

Sailboat Tangrams by Mama Miss (shape activities)


Have you shared Where the Wild Things Are with your kiddos?  Do they love it?  Have you done any activities with it?  I'd love to hear from you!!



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Disclosure: CraftProjectIdeas.com provided the feathers to us.  No other compensation was provided and all ideas and opinions are 100% mine!  I only recommend products I love!
  



I may share at any of these parties!



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