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Free Friends Play Dough Printable

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This week the TeachECE team is talking about ‘friends’. How to make them, how to treat them and so much more! So to go along with that, I’m sharing this free friends play dough printable with you. It’s great to use when you are talking to kids about being a good friend because they can role play different situations. Plus, pretend play is a fantastic way to practice friendship skills!

This free Friend Play Dough Printable is so great for teaching kids how to make friends and how to be a good friend!

Materials needed for the Free Friends Play Dough Printable:

Paper and/or card stock

Laminating pouches and laminator

Play dough

Use these cute kids to teach friendship skills. Part of a free friend play dough set!

To prepare the set, print, laminate and cut out the kids. Then you can use play dough as a base to help the kids stay upright for playing.

I’ll be totally honest. My special needs preschooler has no concept of what friendship skills are. In fact, she completely lacks inhibitions when it comes to people, so she firmly believes that every person that she meets loves her and because of that she’s never met a person who didn’t love her. (We have a lot more problems with ‘stranger danger’ than we do with making friends.)

But one thing she struggles with because of her language delay is being able to talk to friends her age. Especially because most 4 year olds can’t comprehend why she doesn’t talk as well as them. She tends to gravitate towards much younger children who also don’t speak or much older children who can understand and deal with her lack of language skills.

Use these cute kids to teach friendship skills. Part of a free friend play dough set!

For her, I like to use pretend play to practice her language skills and use it to model how to have a conversation. At four years old, I am still teaching her to say, “My name is Shiloh.” Right now she will say, “My name,” and point to herself. This is an improvement over six months ago when I would say “What is your name?” and she would simply reply, “Name” as if that were her name.

To practice talking to people, we have the play dough friends “meet” each other. She can hear me say, “Hi! My name is…” and she has the opportunity to model that if she chooses.

Teaching friendship skills is so fun with this free Friend Play Dough Printable.

While we are working on her language skills we have also worked to teach her ways to show that she is a friend in some fun ways.

  • When I introduce her to another child, I will tell them “Shiloh doesn’t talk a lot, but she loves high fives!” (or fist bumps…) Then they can see how excited she is over that interaction and initiate playing with her.
  • She can share something with her friend. Such as show a painting that she has made, a tower that she has built, a doll that she would like to play with.
  • She can create a name that she can say for her friend. Cathryn becomes Catty, Riley becomes Wiwey, Grandma becomes MeMaw.
Teaching friendship skills is so fun with this free Friend Play Dough Printable.

No matter your child’s abilities, they can always use practice on how to be a good friend. This free friends play dough printable gives them that opportunity!

This free Friend Play Dough Printable is so great for teaching kids how to make friends and how to be a good friend!

Check out the other great friend posts from the TeachECE Team!

  • Role Playing How to Be a Good Friend 
  • Songs About Friendship for Kinder and Pre-K 
  • Teaching Kids About Friendship and Being a Good Friend 
  • Making Friends: Teaching Kids to Learn and Respect Different Names
  • Helping Your Homeschooler Socialize 
  • Making Friends Even When You Are Homeschooled
  • Book Friends 
  • Tips for Helping Preschoolers BE a Good Friend!
  • Working Together to Create a Classroom Community
  • Teaching Kids How to Make Friends 

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Comments

  1. Kelly says

    January 25, 2016 at 12:16 am

    Those little people you made are so stinkin’ cute! Thank you so much for sharing your awesome talent with the world, so that we can benefit (and not have to come up with a lesson plan on my own!!) My co-op preschool class will love using them. THANKS!!

    Reply
    • Kim says

      January 27, 2016 at 9:07 am

      I’m so glad that you enjoy them!!

      Reply
  2. Alison says

    August 26, 2015 at 10:37 pm

    As a mom and a Speech Language Pathologist, I love this activity! I am going to print and laminate it for my two year old and to use with my clients. Thanks for sharing on the Thoughtful Spot Blog Hop! 🙂

    Reply
    • Kim says

      August 26, 2015 at 10:58 pm

      I’m glad that you like it! Enjoy!

      Reply
  3. Nicolette Roux says

    August 16, 2015 at 9:46 pm

    o wow! these are super cute! thanks

    my kids so like to play with little people so it would be great to introduce

    Reply
  4. Jodie @ Growing Book by Book says

    August 15, 2015 at 11:38 am

    Oh my goodness, this is so cute.

    Reply
  5. Mary Catherine says

    August 14, 2015 at 6:31 pm

    I love seeing how attuned you are to Shiloh’s needs! My son had some severe speech concerns when he was younger. I did something similar when introducing him to new friends.

    Reply
    • Kim says

      August 14, 2015 at 11:55 pm

      Thanks, Mary Catherine! I’m glad that the idea worked for your son!

      Reply
  6. Theresa says

    August 13, 2015 at 11:13 pm

    Those play dough friends are adorable. We will have to try out this activity. Thank you!

    Reply
  7. Danielle says

    August 13, 2015 at 11:11 am

    Great idea! I love that this gives kids a visual, hands-on way to learn about making and play with friends. They are perfect for role playing various interactions with other kids!

    Reply
  8. Clarissa H says

    August 12, 2015 at 2:01 pm

    What cute printable little friends! I bet my kids can think of a ton of ways to play with them!

    Reply
    • Kim says

      August 12, 2015 at 11:14 pm

      Have fun!

      Reply
  9. Devany says

    August 12, 2015 at 1:06 pm

    You always amaze me with your ideas of how to meet Shiloh exactly where she is…and she is thriving!

    I love these printables, too…especially because there is a red headed boy like mine!

    Reply
    • Kim says

      August 12, 2015 at 11:14 pm

      Thank you, Devany!

      Reply
  10. The Preschool Toolbox says

    August 12, 2015 at 10:52 am

    What a fun idea for playing and discussing friends! When kids have a VISUAL of anything, it helps them learn! Great Suggestions!

    Reply
    • Kim says

      August 12, 2015 at 11:04 am

      Yes, any time I work with Shiloh there has to be something she can touch or see because without that, she really doesn’t understand.

      Reply
  11. Amanda says

    August 12, 2015 at 7:04 am

    What a cute idea! This would make a great learning kit or busy bag to take with you for on-the-go learning too! Pocket pals!

    Reply
    • Kim says

      August 12, 2015 at 9:58 am

      That would be a fun idea!

      Reply

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