Playdough: Squish First

Step by step

1. 1Give everyone a big ball of soft dough, protect the table, and roll up those sleeves.
2. 2Set the tone: there's nothing to get right here, we just squash, tear apart, and start over.
3. 3Knead your own ball next to them without making anything to copy—just enjoy the moment together.
4. 4Name the actions as you go: smashing with a fist, pinching, rolling a snake, poking in sticks.
5. 5Let it linger: kneading is the whole point, so don't rush toward making 'something'. If they ask you to make a cat, roll a snake together instead of putting on an art show.
6. 6Roll everything back into a ball together, pop it into an airtight tub, and wipe down the table as a team.

What it builds

Kneading with whole hands builds strength in little fingers, wrists, and forearms. This simple strength—built without pencils or scissors—will make cutting and writing much easier later on: muscles first, precision second.