A Story to Spark Curiosity
Nursery were delighted to join in with Environment Day at Wellesley Prep, enjoying a day of stories, sensory play and nature-inspired creativity.
To prepare for the afternoon’s woodland walk to spot the beautiful bluebells, the children gathered together to enjoy the story The Bog Baby by Jeanne Willis and Gwen Millward. The magical tale helped spark conversations about nature, caring for the environment and the tiny creatures that might live among ponds, woods and wild spaces.
Mixing, Measuring and Making Playdough
Inspired by the story, the children then rolled up their sleeves and got busy making their very own playdough. Using a pictorial recipe, they carefully measured the ingredients, counting scoops and talking about quantities along the way. There was great excitement as Ms Clarke demonstrated how the mixture changes on the hob, turning simple ingredients into soft, stretchy dough.
Bringing Bog Babies to Life
Once ready (and still satisfyingly warm!), the playdough was explored through squeezing, rolling, pinching, scrunching and moulding as the children created their own unique bog babies with the addition of feathers and googly eyes. This handson activity was not only great fun but also fantastic for developing fine motor skills, hand strength and creativity.
Try It at Home
Playdough is a wonderful openended resource and can easily be made at home using simple kitchen cupboard staples. Why not have a go together?
Wellesley Nursery Playdough Recipe –
- 2 cups plain flour
- ½ cup salt
- 2 tablespoons cream of tartar
- 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
Mix the dry ingredients together. Separately, bring 1–2 cups of water to the boil in a pan. Carefully add the dry ingredients to the water, turning off the heat almost immediately and stirring until combined.
We like to colour our playdough and add a few drops of essential oils, but you can also experiment with herbs or spices for a sensory twist.
If you make your own playdough at home, we’d love to see it—take a photo and tag us in your creations.
