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Invitation to Create Play Dough Skeletons or X-Rays

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If you enjoyed our Fall Invitations to Play series last month, you’re going to be excited to here what’s in store this month! I’m teaming up with Buggy and Buddy,Play Trains, and Twodaloo again to bring you a new set of Halloween Invitation to Play. We’re also really excited to have Fun-A-Day and Nothing if Not Intentional joining this series.

There’s one slight change. Instead of sharing the full series in one week, the series will run on Tuesdays. So check out what everyone has to share today. Then don’t forget to look for new posts on October 8 and October 15. Enjoy!

This post contains referral links.

This Week’s Halloween Invitation to Play: Skeleton Play Dough

Create x-rays with play dough

FIND EVEN MORE SKELETON THEME ACTIVITIES IN OUR PRINTABLE LESSON PLANS
FOR HOME PRESCHOOL AND PRESCHOOL CLASSROOMS.

In the spring while we were learning about the letter X we set up this invitation to play so we could learn more about x-rays. It also makes a great activity for Halloween. Kids can make skeletons of familiar living things, or create their own unique and spooky creatures. This set up would be super fun for a  school Halloween theme, play date,  or Halloween party.

Invitation to Create-Play Dough SkeletonsMaterials

    • Black play dough
    • Cotton swabs (I used whole swabs and also cut the ends off of some to give a variety of options for different “bones.”)
    • Assorted cookie cutters (Ours are from the Wilton 101-Piece Cookie Cutter Set)
    • Rollers (optional)


When I first set out this invitation I made one dinosaur to give them an idea of how they might use the materials. Typically I do not share an example, but in this case I wasn’t sure how familiar they would be with the idea of skeletons. They didn’t have to actually create skeletons, but I did want to provide the gentle suggestion.

Dinosaur SkeletonWays Children Might Use the Materials

Below is a brief list of skills kids might practice using these materials. However, as I watch kids interact with new invitations I am always impressed by their creativity in using materials in ways that I may never have thought of. This kind of free exploration is one of things I enjoy most about invitations to play.

  • Fine Motor
  • Creativity
  • Patterns and Symmetry
  • Counting
  • Oral Language and Story Telling

Tinker really enjoyed poking the cotton swabs into the play dough. She did not quite have a sense yet of creating skeletons. Actually when the others created them, Tinker protested that they were “grumpy.” This Halloween may be a bit interesting for her sweet little self!

Toddler Fine Motor Halloween Play

Lovey and Big Buddy did make their own variations of skeletons, and they had long elaborate stories about their creations.

X-Ray Activities for Kids-Play Dough X-Rays

Thanks for joining us for our first post in the Halloween Invitations to Play series. Don’t forget to stop by and see what the other members of the series have planned for you today. Then visit us on October 8th for even more new ideas.

Invitation to Create with Beads, Straws, and Pipe Cleaners by Buggy and Buddy

Play Dough Skeletons by Fantastic Fun and Learning

Frankenstein Monster Pumpkin by Fun-A-Day

Creepy-Crawly Cauldron Play by Nothing if Not Intentional

October Moon Halloween Train Play by Play Trains!

Jack O’Lantern Collage by Twodaloo

 

PRINTABLE SKELETON THEME LESSON PLANS

Save time and get right to the playful learning with our printable lesson plan sets. Each set includes over 30 playful learning activities related to the theme, and we’ve provided different versions for home preschool families and classroom teachers so all activities are geared directly toward your needs.

The full Skeleton Theme Lesson Plan Pack also includes:

1) Uppercase Skeleton Letter Building Mats and Cards
2) Lowercase Skeleton Letter Cards
3) Doctor’s Checklist for Pretend Play
4) Skeleton Bone Counting and Building Mats
5) Skeleton Word Building Mats
6) Skeleton Number Cards 0-35
7) Bone Tallies and Number Recognition Mats
8) 3 Skeleton Puzzles
9) Bone Opposites Emergent Reader
10) Skeleton Letter Matching Puzzles

GET YOUR LESSON PLANS

Home Preschool Skeleton Theme Lesson Plans

Preschool Classroom Skeleton Theme Lesson Plans

Also available on Teachers Pay Teachers.

 

Invitation to Create-Play Dough Skeletons or X-Rays

 

 

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  11. Mrs. A @ 123kindergarten

    I wish I’d seen this idea years ago! Once, I boiled all the turkey bones for hours and stripped them for kidlets to make dinosaur skeletons but the bones didn’t stick to the glue well at all. Another year we did skeletons with newspaper strips which stuck even where we didn’t want. Tried the qtips on paper which was better than the other two, but this is so much easier for little hands and far more creative!

    Reply

    • Shaunna

      Oh thank you! And good for you for continuing to find ideas that will work for your kiddos. I bet they loved the activities no matter what version you tried!

      Reply

  16. Renae

    I LOVE this idea and can’t wait to have the kiddos try it out this month. So much fun! Thank you so much for sharing! I’ve pinned it so I don’t forget.

    Reply

  17. Kristan Price

    This is so neat!! We have been using cut-outs on black construction paper and didn’t even think to use glue!! I love this idea and I can’t wait to try it with my kids. 🙂

    Reply

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