IMPORTANT: These Cupcakes are not to be eaten (regardless of how good they look!).

Eshe from London made some fantastic looking Playdough cupcakes for her two godchildren. Let’s find out more.

Please can you tell the community what you did…

I made some activity packs for my 2 godchildren, aged 6 and 3, with a host of simple activities that they could do to keep them occupied whilst they were at home. One of my favourites was the playdough cupcake activity. This activity is a great way to incorporate many different areas of learning. By allowing the child to help make the playdough, they are practising maths by counting, measuring and experimenting with quantities.

When mixing and kneading the playdough, they are building up their arm and hand muscles whilst practising fine motor skills. When setting up this activity I would set up a make-believe bakery for them. They can make and decorate the cakes and then sell them to family members. This is a good opportunity for them to practice their communication and language skills.

Playdough Cupcakes Instruction

You will need:

  • Playdough
  • Cupcake cases
  • Decorations for the top (old cake decorations, coloured rice or oats etc)
  • Chocolate Playdough Recipe
  • 3 cups of flour
  • ½ a cup of coco powder
  • ½  a cup of salt
  • ½ a cup of warm water
  • 3 tbs of oil
  • 2 tbs of cream of tartar

Instructions:

  1. Mix all the dry ingredients and oil together and mix.
  2. Gradually add water and keep stirring until the playdough is stuck together but isn’t sticky to touch. If the playdough is too sticky add more flour and if it is too dry add more water.
  3. Once the right consistency is reached, sprinkle some flour on the surface and knead the playdough on top of it until all the flour has combined with the playdough.
  4. Keep refrigerated in an airtight bag or container as this ensures that it will last for a couple of months.

I have been working on some letter activities to add to our writing area. Learning to write and recognise letters is an important part of development so it is important that it is made fun. Children learn best when they are taught in a multi-sensory way, I am gathering activities that allow them to learn letters whilst using multiple senses.

My name is Eshe, I work in a crazy toddler and preschool room with up to 50 children! It is lots of fun and I am missing them all whilst the nursery is shut. I am from London and went to university in Leeds where I got a degree in Psychology and Child Development. I like thinking of fun activities to do with the children and posting my journey as an early years practitioner on my Instagram @Lil.mindsmatter.

My top tip for being housebound with kids is to try and pre-plan some activities the night before so they are all set up and easy to get out the next day. Also, activities they can do independently such as playdough or water is sure to keep them occupied for a while!

I have loved the Housebound with Kids community as there are lots of great ideas that I can use and try. It is also really nice to see everyone else’s children having fun and making the most of their time at home.