Today we are making a frame out of salt dough with ingredients right out of your kitchen. This activity provides your child with a hands-on learning opportunity to observe, measure, explore and experiment with different textures, encouraging fine motor skills and language development. 

 

What You will Need 

Process 

Engaging with Your Child 

Begin your activity by inviting your child to make salt dough to use as a picture frame. During the process of the activity, ask them to assist you with completing the steps to create the salt dough. Enrich their vocabulary by describing the feeling of the dough and the actions you take to manipulate the dough into shapes with words like “Soft, cold, squeeze, roll, chop, poke, flatten, pinch, squish, etc.”. Allow your child to lead their own explorations with the dough. This will strengthen the muscles in their hands which in turn helps them with tasks such as writing. After they have completed creating shapes with the dough, create a hole big enough to thread your string through. Ask your child to place it somewhere to air dry. Alongside your child, show them how to gently check if their frame is dry by patting it with your finger. Once it’s hardened, you can offer your child markers to decorate their frame however they like. Choose a photo of their liking and hang the frame someplace at home. When your child sees their work of art posted around your home, it will give them a sense of pride and accomplishment. Remember to praise your child’s efforts and allow them the space to freely explore their ideas, this will reinforce their freedom to express themselves and nurture their self-esteem.