3.3y–5y10 minArtFree playQuiet time
Squeeze & Prod Play Lab
A hands-on play activity where your child explores soft materials while you model and encourage manipulation words like ‘squeeze’ and ‘prod.’
What you'll need
Essentials
- playdough or homemade dough (or a soft sponge/cloth as a backup)
- a plate or tray
- a spoon (or blunt butter knife for shaping, adult supervised)
Nice to have
- a muffin tin or egg carton (for pressing)
- a rolling pin (or a cup/bottle to roll with)
Movement level: low
What you'll do
The 4-step guide, with what to look for at each step, is for signed-in parents.
What this develops
- MilestoneShapes playdough with controlBody· 3.3y–5y· core· Step 3
- MilestoneTwo-channelled attention – can listen and do for short span.Mind· 2.5y–4.2y· stretch· Step 3
- MilestoneExperiments to create different textures.Mind· 3.3y–5y· stretch· Steps 2, 3
- MilestoneExtends vocabulary, especially by grouping and naming, exploring the meaning and sounds of new words.Mind· 3.3y–5y· stretch· Steps 2, 4
What it practices
Where it comes from
- Source
- Development Matters in the EYFS (DfE, 2012)
- Original guidance
- “Introduce and encourage children to use the vocabulary of manipulation, e.g. ‘squeeze’ and ‘prod.’”
- License
- Open Government Licence v3.0
- Attribution
- © Crown Copyright 2012 (Development Matters in the EYFS, DfE)