Number Playdough Flowers— An Easy Number Provocation
Discover how Number Playdough Flowers can transform your math lessons through hands-on, sensory-rich activities. Teach number sense, fine motor skills, and foster a love of maths in your early childhood setting and explore ideas, tips, and cross-curricular connections to make learning fun and meaningful.
Are you struggling to keep your students excited about learning foundational number skills? Many teachers find that while traditional methods might work, they often lack the engagement needed to truly connect with young learners.
The result? Frustration for both you and your students.😞
If you’re looking for a resource that aligns with a play-based pedagogy and makes teaching numbers fun and hands-on, Playdough Number Flowers are your answer!
This versatile resource helped take my maths teaching into a sensory-rich experience that encouraged exploration, creativity, and a deeper understanding of numbers. Whether you’re teaching a whole-class lesson, managing quick transitions, or implementing investigative play sessions, these colourful flowers took my math instruction from so-so to win-win!
Using playdough in your number activities will not only keep your students excited and engaged. It will also consolidate important early numeracy skills while at the same time fostering hands-on learning and creativity.
A play-based approach blends learning and fun and will help you create an environment where your children thrive – all while meeting those important academic benchmarks!
So let’s explore how you can use my Playdough Number Flowers to make maths exciting, hands-on, and meaningful for your students.
Why Playdough for Teaching Numbers?
Playdough is a staple in the early years classroom and for good reason!
It is such a powerful tool for teaching and learning. When it comes to teaching early numeracy skills and concepts, don’t overlook playdough!
The tactile and sensory nature of playdough aligns with the philosophies of leading educational theorists and approaches, making it a go-to resource in many play-based classrooms.
In her book The Absorbent Mind, Maria Montessori emphasised the importance of hands-on experiences, saying, “The hands are the instruments of man’s intelligence.”
Children can develop a deeper understanding of abstract concepts like numbers by engaging the hands in sensory-rich activities like moulding and shaping playdough. This hands-on interaction supports their ability to visualise and internalise numerical relationships and builds stronger cognitive connections.
Reggio Emilia pioneers highlighted the importance of open-ended materials that allow children to express their thoughts and ideas. According to Carla Rinaldi, a leading voice in the Reggio Emilia approach, “Children learn through the things they touch, manipulate, and transform.”
Playdough offers this transformative experience. It gives children the opportunity to explore numbers creatively and at the same time builds problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
The Walker Learning approach also recognises the value of sensory exploration in early education. With a focus on personalised learning experiences, this Australian framework integrates hands-on materials like playdough to support the holistic development of the child. Research within the Walker Learning framework shows that children are more engaged and motivated to learn when materials are open-ended, tactile, and relevant to their developmental stage.
Beyond the educational theories, playdough has practical benefits for your students’ development:
Fine Motor Skills: Rolling, squishing, and shaping playdough strengthens the small muscles in children’s hands, preparing them for tasks like writing and cutting.
Calming and Focus: Kneading and manipulating playdough has a soothing effect, helping students regulate emotions and concentrate during lessons.
To explore even more ways to use playdough in your classroom, visit my blog post on Playdough Activities for Kindergarten Sensory Maths Play.
You’ll find practical tips and activities for teaching numeracy skills through sensory play.
By incorporating playdough into your number provocations, you can rest easy knowing you’re not only supporting academic learning but also nurturing the whole child through hands-on, sensory experiences AND you’ll be making maths meaningful and fun.
Introducing Number Playdough Flowers – A Teacher's Essential Resource
If you’re looking for a resource that easily links your learning intentions to classroom provocations, Number Playdough Flowers are the perfect addition to your toolkit. Designed with versatility and engagement in mind, these flowers can be used in a variety of your play-based activities and explicit teaching lessons. They develop number sense and will keep your students excited about learning.
Product Overview
The Number Playdough Flowers set includes:
42 number flowers in bright colours to captivate your students' attention.
Numbers represented in both numerals and words for 0 to 20.
Designed with the Queensland Beginner’s Font. (Let me know if you’d like a different font.)
Print-ready on A4 paper or card, with six flowers per page. If you prefer a smaller size, you can tile the printing to fit 12 flowers on a page.
Originally designed as a provocation for my playdough table, these flowers quickly popped up in other lessons and activities.
They integrate beautifully into lessons on number concepts and even cross-curricular themes like Science. For example, when teaching about plants or celebrating Spring, these flowers were a great natural connection to seasonal and living things studies.
Versatile Use Across the Classroom
The beauty of the Number Playdough Flowers lies in their adaptability. Here are some of the many ways I have used them:
Investigation Areas: in sensory tubs with sand, dirt, gravel, or rice. Pair them with small pots, gardening gloves, and trowels for a hands-on gardening theme.
Playdough Table: with pots or cups so students can "plant" them. This was great for number recognition.
Dramatic Play Space: the flowers were added to vases and turned our dramatic play area into a little impromptu flower shop.
Science Nature Table: the flowers were displayed to complement our living things lessons on plants and the environment.
Math Table: dice, counters and a number line were added with the flowers for an invitation to some interactive number learning.
Blocks Area: for construction play they were added along with some tins and cups.
Games, Warm-Ups, and Transition Activities
You can use these flowers in whole-class activities too. Some of my favourite ways to use them include:
Matching Friends: Give each child a flower (with either a numeral or a word) and have them find their matching partner.
Number Lines: Ask students to arrange themselves in numerical order to create a human number line.
Guess the Number: In a circle, give clues to a "secret flower" (e.g., "I’m the number before 7") and have students guess who holds it.
Counting Games: Use a vase or bucket at the front of the room and count forwards, backwards, or skip count. When a child’s number is called, they place their flower in the container.
Why Other Teachers Love These Flowers
The Number Playdough Flowers are
easy to prepare
require minimal setup
can be used for multiple purposes
save on planning time and energy
Whether you’re setting up a play-based investigation area or planning an explicit maths lesson, these flowers will help you create engaging, hands-on learning experiences that support number sense development and align with curriculum goals.
Cross-Disciplinary Connections: Using Playdough Flowers in Science
The Number Playdough Flowers can be used in other ways and offer incredible opportunities to create cross-disciplinary connections in your classroom. These versatile flowers naturally lend themselves to Science, particularly when learning about living things or studying plants and even the seasons.
Science Links
Use them in your science lessons to spark curiosity and encourage hands-on exploration. Here are some ideas:
Living Things: Use the flowers as props when discussing plant life cycles. Students can "plant" their numbered flowers in pots, simulating discussions about the growth process while engaging with numeracy skills like counting and ordering.
Seasonal Studies: Spring is the perfect time to use these flowers. Use them to decorate your classroom with flower displays and celebrate seasonal changes. They will invite discussions on how plants grow and thrive during this time of year.
Gardening Provocations: Create sensory-rich science stations where students can explore concepts like soil, growth, and pollination. Pair the flowers with real gardening tools, pots, and seeds to make the experience authentic.
By combining these tactile, colourful flowers with scientific explorations, your students will be more likely to make meaningful connections between subjects.
Educational Insights on Cross-Disciplinary Play
Educational theorists and play-based pedagogies emphasise the power of combining and integrating subjects to create richer learning experiences:
Maria Montessori believed that learning should be holistic, stating, “Education is a natural process carried out by the child and is not acquired by listening to words but by experiences in the environment.” Using Number Playdough Flowers in science will give your students the chance to actively explore and connect abstract concepts in Science and Maths.
The Reggio Emilia Approach highlights the importance of using open-ended materials to foster curiosity and understanding across disciplines. Carla Rinaldi, a leading Reggio theorist, notes, “The environment is the third teacher.” Adding these flowers into your science provocations helps to create an interactive learning space where your students can explore, question, and discover.
Walker Learning emphasises the integration of play-based experiences across subjects to create personalised and meaningful learning. The tactile nature of playdough flowers makes them an engaging entry point for students, allowing them to explore science concepts while strengthening their numeracy and fine motor skills at the same time.
Why Cross-Disciplinary Learning Matters
Integrating subjects like maths and science through play-based learning doesn’t just save you time—it helps your students make connections that are deeper and more lasting.
When children see how numbers relate to the world around them, they begin to understand the relevance of what they’re learning.
With my Number Playdough Flowers, you’re not only teaching number concepts but also inspiring budding scientists to explore the beauty and complexity of the natural world—all while supporting their cognitive, sensory, and fine motor development.
Why Teachers Love Number Playdough Flowers – Solving Classroom Challenges
Teaching number concepts in engaging, meaningful ways can be a challenge, but my Number Playdough Flowers make it easy. Other teachers love these flowers because they’re low-prep, versatile, and highly effective for meeting early numeracy benchmarks. Of course they love that they are engaging and offer sensory-rich learning experiences too.
Ease of Use: Low-Prep, High Impact
Setting up learning activities is quick and simple with these Number Playdough Flowers. Whether you’re using them for play-based provocations, whole-class games, or as part of an explicit teaching lesson, the flowers require minimal preparation but deliver maximum value.
Their vibrant colours, tactile appeal, and compatibility with a variety of materials (like playdough, sand, or counters) make them an effortless addition to any classroom setup.
Engagement Factor: Captivating and Focused
The sensory nature of playdough is naturally engaging for young children. The act of rolling, squishing, and moulding not only draws them in, but it also keeps them focused on the task at hand. When paired with my Number Playdough Flowers, this sensory experience becomes a powerful tool for learning.
The children could be “planting” flowers in pots or using them to create number lines – either way, they are fully immersed in a hands-on exploration.
Meeting Learning Goals with Play-Based Pedagogy
The Number Playdough Flowers align with early years numeracy goals outlined in the Australian Curriculum, including:
AC9MFN01: Name, represent, and order numbers (including zero) to at least 20 using physical and virtual materials and numerals.
Activity Idea: Students can arrange the flowers to create a number line or match numerals to words, reinforcing their understanding of number sequences and representation.AC9MFN05: Represent practical situations involving addition, subtraction, and quantification with physical and virtual materials and use counting or subitising strategies.
Activity Idea: Children can add or remove flowers to practice addition and subtraction or group them into sets for subitising activities.AC9MFN06: Represent practical situations that involve equal sharing and grouping with physical and virtual materials and use counting or subitising strategies.
Activity Idea: Use the flowers in activities that involve sharing the flowers equally among pots or grouping flowers into bunches for collaborative problem-solving.
These activities are not only fun but also support sensory learning outcomes, which are another key component of the Australian Curriculum.
Sensory Learning and Development
The Number Playdough Flowers align with the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) standards, particularly Quality Areas 1 and 3:
Quality Area 1: Providing stimulating, sensory-rich experiences that enhance learning and development for each child.
Quality Area 3: Supporting children’s physical, emotional, and cognitive well-being.
Sensory play helps children develop:
Dispositions for learning, such as curiosity, cooperation, and creativity.
Skills and processes, like problem-solving, experimentation, and adapting knowledge.
Social interactions, as they engage collaboratively with peers.
Fine motor skills, as they manipulate playdough and small objects.
By integrating playdough flowers into sensory play, children will be learning numbers and also developing skills that will benefit them across other areas of learning.
A Resource That Works for Teachers
These Number Playdough Flowers are a great solution for busy teachers looking to provide engaging, curriculum-aligned learning experiences in a play-based classroom.
With their sensory appeal and alignment with key learning outcomes, they make it easier to meet benchmarks while also creating an engaging and meaningful learning environment.
With this resource, teaching early numeracy becomes simple, effective, and fun—for both you and your students.
Classroom Tips and Tricks for Using Playdough Number Flowers
When it comes to classroom resources, ease of use and organisation are key. The Playdough Number Flowers are simple to prepare and easy to store. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of this useful resource.
Print and Prep Tips
Printing Options: The flowers are designed to be printed on A4 paper or card, with six flowers per page. If you prefer smaller flowers for certain activities, adjust your printer settings to tile the pages and fit 12 flowers on a single sheet.
Durability: For longer-lasting use, print the flowers on heavy cardstock and laminate them. This ensures they hold up to the wear and tear of repeated play.
Multiple Sets: You could prepare a few sets so they’re ready to use in multiple stations simultaneously.
Maintenance and Storage
Keeping your Number Playdough Flowers organised means they’ll always be ready to grab-and-go for your next lesson or provocation. Here are some storage ideas:
Small Storage Bin: Use a small plastic container with dividers to separate the flowers by numerals and words or by colour.
Labelled Envelopes: Store each set in a labelled envelope or zip-lock bag. This keeps them organised and prevents pieces from getting lost.
Classroom Storage Station: Dedicate a small section of your classroom to “playdough tools and props,” so children can easily access the flowers for free play or guided activities.
By taking a little time to prepare and organise your Number Playdough Flowers, you’ll ensure they remain a staple in your classroom for years to come. I’ve been using my set consistently for years!
Link to a Free Resource
Looking to make your playdough activities even better? Get my Free Printable Playdough Recipe. This tried-and-tested recipe creates the perfect playdough for sensory play in the classroom. You can add scents, colouring and even textures to enhance the experience even further.
Engaging Students in Number Learning with Playdough
So you see, these Number Playdough Flowers are way more than a simple one-use teaching resource. They are a tool for hands-on, engaging learning that supports the development of number sense, fine motor skills, and a genuine love for discovery.
Whether you’re using them for sensory-rich provocations, whole-class activities, or cross-curriculum lessons, these versatile flowers will make learning meaningful and enjoyable for your students.
Use them in your maths activities to give your students the opportunity to explore and understand numbers in a way that’s tactile, creative, and aligned with play-based pedagogy. The sensory appeal will keep your children focused, while the open-ended possibilities will make this resource an invaluable part of your teaching toolkit.
Ready to take your maths teaching into a sensory-rich experience that encourages exploration, creativity, and a deeper understanding of numbers?
Try them today and experience the difference they can make in engaging your students and meeting your curriculum goals. And don’t forget to visit my blog post, Playdough Activities for Kindergarten Sensory Maths Play, where you’ll find even more ideas and inspiration for using playdough to teach early numeracy skills.
