Play Dough Poke and Squish
Offer baby a ball of soft play dough to poke, squish, pull apart, and explore with their hands.
In the Little Play app, this activity appears in week 49 of your baby's personalized plan.
How to play
1
Make or buy soft play dough and roll it into a ball.
2
Place it on baby's high chair tray and show them how to poke it with one finger.
3
Demonstrate squishing, tearing, and rolling, then let baby have at it!
4
Press small items like pasta shapes into the dough and let baby pull them out.
What you need
• Soft play dough (homemade or store-bought)
• Optional: large pasta shapes or cookie cutters
Simple household items. No plastic toys needed.
Why it works
Play dough builds hand strength, finger dexterity, and creativity. The resistance of the dough gives deep proprioceptive input that is calming and organizing for the nervous system.
Good to know
Use taste-safe homemade play dough for babies who still mouth everything. A simple recipe: 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup salt, 1/2 cup water, 1 tbsp oil.
Get 3 activities like this every day
Little Play picks a daily plan matched to your baby's exact week, plus bedtime stories and plastic-free toy guidance. Free on iOS.
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