Te Whāriki Intentional Teaching Guide – Play Dough

This practical two-page guide helps kaiako recognise the rich learning taking place during everyday play dough exploration and intentionally extend children’s thinking.

Linked to Te Whāriki learning outcomes, this guide includes practical intentional teaching strategies, rich vocabulary, open-ended questions, schema examples and extension ideas to strengthen children’s working theories, problem solving, communication, mathematical thinking and fine motor development.

Whether children are rolling, pinching, cutting, shaping or creating with play dough, this guide helps you confidently recognise learning, respond intentionally and create meaningful opportunities that build on children’s interests.

Perfect for:

Play dough learning experiences
Learning story inspiration
Curriculum planning and evaluation
Strengthening intentional teaching practice

Includes:

• Links to Te Whāriki learning outcomes
• Practical intentional teaching strategies
• Rich vocabulary to extend children’s language
• Open-ended questions
• Schema examples
• Ideas for extending children’s thinking

Designed specifically for educators in Aotearoa New Zealand, this guide saves planning time while supporting high-quality intentional teaching and meaningful curriculum decision-making.