Bring out the play dough in your Sunday School classroom and watch your children’s eyes light up. And while your little sculptors are having fun, you can further mold their minds, reinforcing the lesson in a variety of memorable ways.

Ideas for the Sunday School Classroom

Modeling clay and play dough can be used to do any of the following:

Recreate a Bible story scene

Imagine the miracle of the loaves and fish, manna in the desert, the tower of Babel, Noah’s ark, creation, the construction of the tabernacle, any of Jesus’ parables, the Egyptian plagues, etc. as diaramas with figures and scene modeled in clay dough.

Exemplify spiritual lessons

What better way, for example, to bring home the idea of being willing for God to shape our decisions, values and behavior as the clay allows the potter to manipulate it (see Jeremiah 18 or Romans chapter 9, verse 20).

Build Character

Teach character concepts like sharing, teamwork, responsibility and creativity.

Make Ornaments or Jewelry

Make ornaments – Christmas, window, jewelry beads, Valentine’s, Easter baskets – by baking the modeling clay after sculpture, painting and decorating the object, and finally glazing or varnishing. Sell your ornaments for a fundraiser or use them as gifts for multiple occasions throughout the year.

Illustrate Traditions

Illustrate Church traditions by making symbols appropriate for the season. For example, for Advent your children can make an Advent wreath out of modeling clay, or they can fashion their own version of the wise men’s gifts when you celebrate Epiphany.

Create an Activity Center

Provide a standing activity center for your preschoolers. Play dough and clay provides an excellent outlet for energy and stress! Collect any of these items for your play dough activity center: rolling pin, old cookie cutters, plastic butter knives, a drop-cloth for under the table and inexpensive plastic placemats to protect work surfaces.

Memory Verses

Implant memory verses by writing on play dough tablets with toothpicks, much as ancient Near Eastern scribes did.

Modeling Clay and Play Dough Recipes

Salt Dough Recipe - Make Ornaments and Jewelry

Salt dough is used to make designs, such as ornaments or jewelry that are either air dried or baked, and are frequently painted and finished with varnish or shallac. Although ideal for crafting, salt dough can also be used a a simple play dough. After play, store the dough in a sealed container in the refrigerator, and it will keep for several months.

For a recipe to make salt dough, including crafting pointers and tips on finishing options, check out our salt-dough recipe page.

Play Dough Recipe - Ideal for Preschoolers

You can find this recipe, or close variations, at just about every preschool site on the internet. I’m including it here for you so you don’t have to go searching. I’ve also incorporated all the best pointers or tips out there - on our Play-Doh(TM) style play dough recipe page.