10 Fun & Educational Ways to Use These Free Playdough Mats with Your Kids
Playdough is more than just a quiet-time activity—it’s a hands-on way for kids to explore nature, build fine motor skills, and enjoy meaningful learning. That’s why I created these Free Playdough Mats to combine fun, nature appreciation, and early literacy skills.
If you’re looking for simple, screen-free ways to engage your little ones, here are 10 creative ways to use these nature-themed free playdough mats!
1. Build the Shapes with Playdough
Use the mats as intended: encourage your child to “build” a sun, leaf, ladybug, or cloud with playdough. This builds hand strength and shape recognition.
2. Trace the Words for Early Literacy
Each of these free playdough mats includes a traceable word (like “flower” or “rainbow”). Have your child:
- Trace the word with a finger first
- Then with a dry-erase marker (if laminated)
- Finally, shape the letters with playdough!
📝 Learning Tip: Say the letter sounds aloud as they trace them.
3. Create a Nature Story
After building the objects, ask your child to tell a story using all the items:
“What happens when the sun, cloud, and butterfly meet?”
This builds language development and imagination.
4. Add Real Nature Items
Collect real leaves, flower petals, or small sticks and use them alongside the free playdough mats. Let kids decorate their playdough creations with natural materials.
🍂 Bonus: Talk about how God created all these beautiful things!
5. Make It a Science Lesson
Pair each mat with a mini science discussion:
- Sun: Why is the sun important?
- Cloud: How do clouds form?
- Ladybug: What do ladybugs eat?
📚 You can even add a read-aloud or Bible verse that connects with nature.
6. Incorporate Colors & Counting
Use different colors of playdough on the free playdough mats:
- Count how many flower petals or ladybug spots your child adds.
- Make a rainbow with the correct color order.
🌈 Faith Connection: Talk about God’s promise with the rainbow.
7. Sort & Match Game
Print all the mats and shuffle them. Have your child:
- Match the playdough figure they made to the correct mat.
- Sort mats by color theme or seasons (e.g., apple = fall, sun = summer).
8. Turn It Into a Nature Hunt
After building an item on the mat, go outside and try to find it in real life, kind of like a simple scavenger hunt.
Can you find a leaf like the one you made? A butterfly? A cloud shape?
🌳 This makes a perfect Charlotte Mason-style nature walk.
9. Practice Gratitude
Have your child say one thing they’re thankful for about each object:
- “Thank You, God, for the sun that warms us.”
- “Thank You for flowers that smell good.”
🧡 This nurtures a habit of thankfulness and mindfulness.
10. Laminate & Use Again and Again
To make the most of these mats:
- Laminate them or slide them into dry-erase pockets
- Use with playdough, dry-erase markers, crayons, or even Wikki Stix
📎 Store them in a binder for easy, grab-and-go nature fun!
✨ Want the Mats?
Download these These Nature -themed Free Playdough Mats below. Perfect for your preschooler or early elementary student—screen-free, mess-contained, and filled with faith-inspired learning potential.
💬 Have You Used Them?
I’d love to hear how your kids used the playdough mats! Comment below and tell me how you used them.
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