"Lighten the Load"
Superior, gluten free dough. An instant school resource. Reclaim time.
Hello I’m Jen,
Being a teacher in the Early Years for over a decade and understanding the importance of resourcing a malleable area, yet having very little time to make and resource the dough, I decided to form a solution to this weekly dilemma!
Children are being diagnosed much younger with allergies such as coeliac disease and after having children with coeliac and nut allergies in my class I also wanted to create a product that was inclusive and worry free for head teachers, teachers and parents alike.
I found my Sunday evenings being used to make play dough as I couldn’t spare a member of staff to make it whilst the children were in school. The price per pack (£8) equates to approximately half an hour of someone’s time (it easily takes half an hour to source ingredients, make the dough and SBM time to reimburse the costs to you) that in its self should justify using School Dough Dough to you, your SBM or SLT. The dough is far superior quality than that you can make in school, is free from gluten and nuts and is UKCA Accredited!
The Dodo was too ‘heavy’ to fly my mission is to help teachers…
‘ Lighten the Load! ’
I am particularly interested in the pedagogy of Reggio Emilia, shadow play, mindfulness techniques for children and any media that is malleable.
Features
Gluten & Nut Free
The origin of all the base ingredients are sourced carefully from manufacturers who state on their product data sheets no gluten or nut products. All ingredient data sheets are available to view here
Texture
Pliable, smooth dough. The dough is heat-treated and one of the key ingredients is cornflour which gives it a smooth, soft texture and makes it easy to remove from carpets! School Dough Dough is very easily dissolved from textiles and equipment.
Class size
This product is designed for use in the classroom with each Dough Dough weighing just under 1kg. Each pouch contains enough dough for 4 children. A school box of dough-dough contains 10 assorted colours a box weighs 10kg.
Affordable
Costing less than a persons time to make and purchase the equivalent ingredients. School Dough Dough is a gluten and nut free product using high quality ingredients. After trialling the dough in schools and storing in an air tight container it lasted much longer than play dough made from wheat flour.
Brown
Natural
Orange
Green
Turquoise
Blue
Red
Pink
Lilac
White
Lighten
the
Load
Caring for your Dough Dough
Store your Dough Dough in an airtight container. Adding a damp paper towel will also help keep it moist overnight.
If your Dough Dough is exposed to air for a long period of time it will dry out. Don’t worry it isn’t extinct! You can soon revive it by quickly wetting your hands and kneading the dough for a couple of minutes. This should help it regain its lovely smooth texture.
Consider the use of sanitiser before using the dough, to limit the spread of germs and increase longevity of your Dough Dough.
Enhancements. Be mindful that the addition of herb plants / grains will shorten your Dough Dough’s life span. If you choose to add such delights maybe consider doing this when your Dough Dough is becoming tired.
View our Product Label for further information.
Download your Invitation to Play guide for September ’23
Invitations to play
School Dough Dough is a malleable material and sensitive to manipulation. Thanks to its creative, exploratory, and transformative properties the dough suggests ways of learning, stimulating the senses and imagination.
I believe an invitation is the act of inviting or presenting a situation that is tempting. All we do with children should be invitational, supporting the premise that children learn through play. Play is freely chosen.
When an adult intentionally provides materials for children – set up to inspire learning – the child still must be allowed to follow their own ideas without adult-defined outcomes. If the child chooses to interact with the materials presented, the invitation is accepted. If not we must reflect.
All of my suggested invitations are just that. No adult-defined outcomes.
My suggested invitations will scaffold progression in skill and vocabulary. These will link in with possible themes from Autumn 1 through until summer 2.
Fans of Dough Dough
“Super soft dough, even after 1 week”
Nicola | EYFS practitioner
“EYFS is such a high paced environment. I want all staff to be working with the children not going to make play dough. A perfect solution.”
Louise | Headteacher
What do the children have to say?
“I love the colour it is very bright!’ Emma aged 4 ‘It feels buttery’ Zac aged 5 ‘Look I can make spaghetti”
Isabelle aged 4
“I have previously resourced a dough station in my class as I wanted children to focus on the scientific process of making dough (which every child should experience) rather than the product! From my experience the dough only tended to last the day, which can become expensive. Once the children understand how dough is made School Dough Dough is a convenient way to instantly resource your malleable area with a dough that lasts.”
Vikki | Class Teacher