How to Make Playdough Trays for Every Season of the Year

Find LOTS of ideas to put together playdough trays for the whole year. Your kids will love the unique materials in these playdough invitations to play.

I love gathering materials to create a playdough invitation to play.  When you create a playdough tray for your kids you will encourage open-ended creative play.  Your little artists and scientists will have a blast exploring, creating, and experimenting with a variety of materials.

Here are some ideas for playdough trays for the whole year.

Spring & Summer Themed Playdough Trays

Spring and Summer themed trays have to be my favorite because I love the colorful thematic materials that fill the divided trays.

Flower Theme

Your kids will love planting a garden of flowers with a flower-themed playdough tray. 

Butterfly Theme

There are soooo many fun materials that you can add to a tray to create a butterfly-themed invitation to play.

Bug & Insect Theme

Are you interested in a playdough tray with insects of the creepy-crawly variety?  How about a bug-themed playdough invitation to play?

Plants & Garden Theme

Get out some garden soil playdough and put together this fun plant theme playdough invitation…..complete with worms!

Easter Theme

Easter egg and flower vase fillers, pastel straws, googly eyes, and buttons will spark some Easter-themed creativity.

Bunny Theme

Bunny tails, ears, and even some carrot number cards make a fun bunny playdough tray.

Autumn Playdough Trays

Apple Theme

Assemble an apple invitation to play with a few simple materials.  Kids can pretend that they are at the apple orchard or in the kitchen making apple creations.

Scarecrow Theme

Some wood sticks, tiny straw hats, and a little bit of straw will help kids get creative with this scarecrow themed invitation to play.

Autumn Theme

When it’s pumpkin spice time, a fall playdough invitation with pumpkins, leaves, and acorns is perfect.

Spider Theme

A spider theme playdough tray is perfect for Halloween.

Monster Theme

Here is another Halloween idea.  A monster theme invitation to play will be sooo much fun.

Turkey Theme

November is the perfect time to bring out a turkey playdough tray.  You can easily use this for a farm theme too.

Winter Themed Playdough Trays

Christmas Tree Theme

Mix up a batch of Christmas tree playdough and put together a Christmas tree invitation to play with a few fun materials.

Gingerbread Theme

Gingerbread playdough will make your whole room will smell amazing.  Here are material ideas to help you put together a gingerbread playdough tray.

Winter Theme

Gather some icy materials and some bright white playdough to create a beautiful snow themed playdough tray.

Snowman Theme

Switch up the materials a bit and you will have a snowman playdough tray.

Valentine Theme

Red hearts, red cups, and some bottlecaps will make a simple Valentine playdough tray.

Fun Playdough Trays for Any Time of Year

Construction Theme

A little construction playdough, construction vehicles, and even some tools will work great playdough tray for your construction theme.

All About Me Theme

Kids can make self-portraits with the materials in this fun all about me theme playdough tray.  This is perfect for the beginning of the school year or any time of year.

Space Theme

I had fun finding some inexpensive materials for this tray in the aisles of my home improvement store.  This is great for a space theme or a transportation theme unit.

As I put together more thematic and seasonal playdough trays, I’ll keep adding on to this post.  Be sure to pin this post so that you can easily find it later.

If you are looking for more playdough ideas, check out this All About Playdough Activities page.