Looking for something new to keep your little leprechauns busy this St. Patrick’s Day? With a little luck, you can put together a fun activity in just a few minutes. Play-Doh gets a bad rap at times, because we’ve all had moments where we find it crusted onto something it shouldn’t be. However, it’s fantastic for little hands and motor skill development. These easy-to-use Play-Doh mats are great for kids of all ages. You can even squeeze in a few teaching moments while they’re playing.
What you need to get started
Simply download our Rainbow and Shamrock Play-Doh mat PDFs, print them off, slip each into a gallon size plastic bag, and get rolling.
Using your Play-Doh mats
Remember ROY-G-BIV? For “My Lucky Leprechaun Rainbow,” roll out ropes of Play-Doh for each corresponding color of the rainbow. Use the mat as a guide to create your very own rainbow arch! This mat helps you work with little ones on colors, and rolling the pieces can be done by even very young children.
Don’t leave it to luck! For “What Shapes Make a Shamrock,” use the circle and rectangle patterns at the top of the mat to help shape the pieces you need to assemble your very own four-leaf clover. Kids can learn about shapes while making their shamrocks and maybe even craft a few gold coins for the pot o’ gold.
Reuse these mats time and again for extra fun
You can use these handy, little Play-Doh mats over and over again. During clean up time, just wipe down the outside of the bag with a damp cloth, so you’ll be all set for your next creation. Toss these in your diaper or tote bag the next time you need to keep kids busy at a restaurant, or pull them out while waiting for an appointment. The Play-Doh should stay home, but if you stash a few dry erase markers in your bag they’ll work just fine on the plastic bag.
Grab your free downloads
My Lucky Leprechaun Rainbow
What Shapes Make a Shamrock
What’s the rule on mixing Play-Doh in your house? (Ours always turns brown over here.)
Joanna Murnan contributed this post. You can find more from Joanna on her blog, Makingmine.
