# Play Doh Jewelry
> Kids roll, shape and mold play doh into princess jewelry: tiaras, necklaces, rings, earrings, bracelets and a 'princess watch', then decorate them with beads and feathers. It's a kid-led, open-ended way to practice shapes and turning pictures into 3D models.
- URL: https://www.funlittles.com/play-doh-jewelry/
- Ages: 3–6 yrs · Difficulty: easy · Mess: low
- Time: prep 5 min, activity 30 min
- Works for: one-on-one, small group, whole class
- Skills: shapes, spatial-skills, visualization, 2d-to-3d-modeling, memory, fine-motor, imagination
- Cautions: wheat-gluten, ingestion-risk

## Materials (one batch)
- 1 piece Play doh (store-bought or homemade), several colors
- Play doh molds
- Pony beads (optional)
- Sequins (optional)
- Craft feathers (optional)
- Pictures of real jewelry (printed or on a screen) (optional) (household)
- 1 piece Baby doll or dress-up doll (optional) (household)

## Substitutions
- Instead of play doh: Homemade play doh scented with Kool-Aid (The author mentions homemade Kool-Aid play doh is fragrant. No recipe is given in this post.)

## Safety
- Beads, sequins and feathers are small parts and a choking hazard. Supervise closely, and skip them for children who still put things in their mouths.
- Play doh is not food. Most commercial and homemade play doughs contain wheat, so check the label or recipe for children with wheat or gluten allergies.
- Wash hands after play.

## Before you start
- Optional: find a few pictures of tiaras, necklaces, rings, earrings and bracelets for kids to copy.

## Steps
1. Set out play doh, molds and accessories like beads, sequins and feathers.
2. Ask: "What jewelry do you think princesses wear?" Let the kids lead.
3. Roll a play doh worm, add a blob in the middle and wrap it around your wrist for a princess watch.
4. Roll another worm and curve it into a bracelet.
5. Shape a tiara and make it pretty with feathers.
6. Make necklaces, rings and earrings, and press beads in to decorate them.
7. Stuck on a shape? Look at a picture of real jewelry and try to copy it.
8. Lay everything out for a jewelry show.
9. Dress up a doll in your play doh jewels.

## Tips
- Keep it kid-led. It all started when Big A made a worm out of play doh and called it her 'Princess watch'.
- Instead of showing her how to model the jewelry, I showed her pictures of the jewelry she wanted to make. She was able to create the jewels just by looking at the pictures.
- Bracelets are the easiest piece to model on yourself. The rest are easier to make flat on the table.
- Expect high standards. As a serious tiara shopper, she declared that IT HAS TO BE PRETTY.
- It's a great way to make and remake bespoke jewelry. (from readers)

## The original post by TurkeyMom (2012)

Here it is. Another play doh post. What is it about the squishy, moldable colorful fragrant (if it is home made play doh with Kool Aid) that makes it irresistible for everyone – kids and adults. The kick of creating something – anything all by yourself sure is powerful. Just like everything, this was completely kid-led. It all started when Big A made a worm out of play doh. But only this time she put a blob in the middle and called it her “Princess watch” and she wore it around her wrist. It was adorable.Then she made another wormy thingie and called it her bracelet. Mom’s bulb goes off and she declares “ Do you want to make more jewelry” Big A : That’s what I’m doing.. On that sassy note, here is a run down on today’s playtime with my girls.

1. Play doh
2. Molds
3. Any accessories – beads, sequins, feather.

I asked her “What jewelry do you think princesses wear?” No points for guessing the first word out of her mouth. Crown. We made a tiara anyway. She immediately declared that IT HAS TO BE PRETTY. May be she has seen some ugly tiaras out there? I didn’t even think it was possible. As a serious tiara shopper, she was very discerning in her tastes of play doh tiaras. She decorated it with feathers. Then necklaces, rings, ear rings, bracelets. All decorated with beads. Big A couldn’t model the jewels on her own except the bracelet. Instead of showing her how to model them, I showed her pictures of the jewelry she wants to make. The kid was able to create the jewels by looking at the pictures, which I thought was pretty awesome. Then again , I’m biased!  

1. Shapes - Creating shapes
2. Visualization and spatial skills via
3. Converting 2D to 3D ( looking at a pictures and creating a model)
4. Creating a model out of memory. She has to think abut how a necklace looks like and try to model it.

Here is our final jewelry show.



Here is the poor baby who was forced to wear our jewelry.



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