Submitted by Toni A., Preschool Teacher in Houston, Texas.
Grades:3-5 year olds

Materials:

Small paper plates, playdough, feathers, pipe cleaners, pony beads or doughnut-shaped cereal

Procedure:

At our school, we make playdough for our classes rather than buying it. After about a month, the playdough has begun to outgrow its usefulness. Instead of throwing it away, here's something I do. My children always love this project, because it encourages creativity and discovery.

1. Give each child with a small paper plate containing a ball of playdough about the size of a golf ball. Have the children flatten the ball out just a bit.
2. Provide the children with a variety of colored feathers, pipe cleaners, pony beads, cereal, etc.
3. Show the children how to wrap the pipe cleaners around pencils or their fingers to make spirals.
4. Show the children how they can thread the beads onto the pipe cleaners.
5. Show the children how, when they stick the feathers and pipe cleaners into the playdough, they are held in place.
6. Now, step back and watch them create some of the most interesting sculptures!!