Easy DIY Play Dough Travel Kit With Loose Parts
We recently took a short trip, and I decided to create a new travel kit for my kids. Making your own travel kits shouldn’t be difficult. And as a mother of two, I know time is of essence. Therefore, the DIY kits I create are simple, swift, and savvy. Best of all, since the materials could always be reused to make other interesting travel activities, that’s a thumbs up to savings!
What is ‘playdough loose parts’ play?
Play dough – You find them in every household with kids. It is close to clay or plasticine, where kids just love to squish, cut, flatten, mould, shape, and roll. Play dough is excellent for strengthening fine motor skills, enhances their artistry, and helps explore sensory play. We’ve used play dough as a part of learning numbers, shapes, and alphabets in a fun way. On top of that, it has a calming effect from all the squishing and squashing.
On the other hand, ‘loose parts’ are taking a few different materials, toys, or objects a child has found and put into play. It can be things you already own in the house or items found while taking a stroll outside. Just about anything, whether it has a specific purpose or not. Loose parts play are open-ended, versatile, and takes advantage of kids’ inquisitiveness about the things that constitutes in the environment around them.
It takes just a few minutes to make one and what’s great is kids of all ages find play dough with loose parts play fascinating.
Super simple steps
- Firstly, get a storage organizer with compartments or a tackle box. Any box with dividers will do to make this easy kit.
- Next, the fun part begins – fill it up!
This travel kit was done in a jiffy. I went through my kids’ toys and craft boxes to see what I could use as loose parts.
And here’s what I’ve inserted in the kit :-
- Play dough
- Little toys / figurines
- Wooden peg doll
- Feathers
- Chenille wire
- Wooden clothes pegs
- Googly eyes
- Pompoms
- Felt flowers
- Buttons
- Heart shaped gems
- Beads
- Snowflake toy
- Washi tapes
I’ve brought this along for several outing occasions and it never bores my toddler. She has created all kinds of objects with the items presented and used it as a part of learning in a fun way.
Let me know in the comments below if you’ve made this play dough travel kit with different kinds of ‘loose parts’ items other than the ones I’ve listed. And if you’re interested in other travel kits for your kids, check them out here and here. 🙂