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You are here: Home / Themes / Spring / Worm Play Dough

Worm Play Dough

By Shaunna Evans 5 Comments · This content may contain affiliate links.

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Last year when we added pretend worms to our gardening sensory bin it was a huge hit with all of the kids.  This year for spring I wanted to set up another invitation to play that involved worms, and I thought the kids would really enjoy worm play dough.

Worm Play Dough Invitation for Kids

FIND EVEN MORE WORM THEME ACTIVITIES IN OUR PRINTABLE WORM THEME LESSON PLANS.

Materials for Worm Play Dough Invitation

To create the invitation to play I used:

  • Pretend worms from the fishing section of our local retail store
  • Small pebbles
  • Green toothpicks and bits of trimmed green straws for “grass”
  • Brown play dough
  • Black play dough

 

Worm Play Dough Activity for Kids

I also added more brown play dough in a large wooden bowl and placed it next to the invitation tray.

Worm Play Dough Base

Lovey was the first to play with the worm play dough. And she started off as I expected, adding “grass” and bits of black and brown “soil”.

Worm Pretend Play...play dough

Then things took a little turn. When I she started skewering the worms on the toothpicks I wasn’t quite sure what she was doing. First I though maybe she was pretending to go fishing, but I just sat and watched. As I listened to her narrate what she was doing I realize she was no longer playing with “worms.” Now she was trying to build a house using the materials in the invitation tray.

Worm house

So began a lengthy process of experimenting with the materials to see how she could create a structure that was strong and sturdy. It was fascinating to watch her thought process unfold and see how her creation became stronger with each trial and error.

I really never know what these invitations to play will lead to, but I’m never disappointed with the spontaneous learning that occurs.

Designing worm habitat for kids

When Tinker chose to play with the worm play dough, she enjoyed poking the rocks and  toothpick grass into the dough. She created a very elaborate home for her “baby worms and the mommies and the daddies, too.”

Worm Play Dough Pretend Play for Toddlers

 

This post contains affiliate links.

Books About Worms

While playing and learning about worms we also enjoyed reading some books about worms. These are two of our favorites.

garden wigglers

Garden Wigglers by Nancy Loewen is a great nonfiction book about worms for younger kids. The books shares important facts about earthworms and why they are important for nature. It includes important nonfiction text features, and the text is simple enough for preschoolers to stay engaged and interested.

jonathan and martha

Jonathan & Martha are two lonely worms who happen to meet one day as they each nibble through the same pear. Instead of becoming friends from the beginning they fight and become so tangled together that they are forced to stick together. They go along sharing food. As they do it becomes fun. Until one day they are unexpectedly separated. However, the experience made them realize that they want to share and they want to stay together, and they live happily ever after.

Get a full week of playful worm theme ideas!

If your kids are fascinated by worms, extend this activity into a full week of learning and play. 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.

worm math sensory play with free printable number cubes. Perfect for preschool worm theme!

This pack includes editable preschool lesson plans and hands-on activities for a week full of math, reading, & science learning activities about worms and mud. Watch this short video to see just a few examples of the types of activities and printables included in this set:

GET YOUR LESSON PLANS

Preschool Worm Theme Lesson Plans

Also available on Teachers Pay Teachers.

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Filed Under: Fine Motor, Invitations to Play, Letter W, Preschool, Spring Tagged With: play dough, worms

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Next Post: 5 Fun Plant Activities To Try with Kids this Spring »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Karyn

    April 18, 2014 at 7:42 pm

    This is a REALLY fun idea! my boys would love it. Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply
  2. Ashley

    April 18, 2014 at 8:55 am

    I have a worm lover that would enjoy this! I featured you on Mom’s Library this week too!

    Reply
  3. Amy @ No Greater Honors

    April 14, 2014 at 9:00 pm

    What a fun way to play! I never would have thought to use pretend worms in play dough and including the toothpicks makes for a wonderful way to inspire some fun learning – the best learning – the kind they don’t know is going on 🙂

    Reply
    • Shaunna Evans

      September 28, 2014 at 2:15 pm

      Definitely! I always love when my girls turn to me after a full day of school and say, “When are we doing school time?” 😉

      Reply
  4. Leslie

    April 13, 2014 at 4:27 pm

    Cool idea! It’s so neat seeing how children play with everything. I’m definitely going to try this with my little guy.

    Reply

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