1. Uncooked Playdough
1 cup plain flour, 1/2 cup salt, 1 tablespoon oil, 1-2 tablespoons cream of tartar, 1 cup boiling water with a few drops of food colouring added if desire. Mix the dry ingredients and oil, then quickly add boiling water, stirring rapidly as the dough thickens. Knead until smooth, adding more flour if dough is sticky. (Taken from leaflet from P.A.L. Play and Learning Program, Department of Health, Western Australia, 2003)

2. Microwave Playdough
Same ingredients as above except no need to boil water first and just one tablespoon of cream of tartar. Beat all ingredients well, removing all lumps. Place in a large covered microwave dish. Cook on high for 5 minutes. Stir into dough while hot, and knead into a ball when cooled. (Taken from leaflet from P.A.L. Play and Learning Program, Department of Health, Western Australia, 2003)

3.Sensory dough
Warm - freshly made. Scented- add a few drops of lavender or vanilla oil (avoid using food scents if your child likes to eat the dough), Bumpy - add some rice or split peas, Sparking - add glitter, or water based non toxic gold or silver paint. (Taken from leaflet from P.A.L. Play and Learning Program, Department of Health, Western Australia, 2003)

4.Mercury goop (cornflour)
1 cup cornflour, 1 cup water with colouring added, plastic tray. Mix ingredients together to make a stiff consistancy. This mixture will ooze through the childs fingers and spread over the tray like mercury. Then it can be gathered back into the hands, leaving the tray clean. Weird! - when finished do not pour down the sink. (Taken from leaflet from P.A.L. Play and Learning Program, Department of Health, Western Australia, 2003)

5.Slime
1/2 cup pure soap flakes, 3 cups boiling water. Mix toghter in a basin or bucket and leave overnight to form soft slime.(Taken from leaflet from P.A.L. Play and Learning Program, Department of Health, Western Australia, 2003)

6. Guess the smell
This one is more for the older toddler 3+. Put a variety of distinctivley smelly objects in a box/bag, ask the child to close their eyes and pull one out at a time. The child has to guess what it is by smelling it. Some objects may include, a lemon with the skin slightly grated to release the smell, some flowers from around your house, the soap that is used in thier bath, a clove of garlic slightly crushed to release the aroma (they will probably not recognise this one but the expressoin on thier face will be interesting and they will experience a new smell), strong smelling cheese

7. Guess the object - Feely bag
This one is more for the older toddler 3+. Put a variety of objects in a box/bag from around the house, use objects the child would be familiar with. Ask the child to close their eyes. Pull an object out and the child has to guess what it is by feeling it. Some objects may include, their favourite toy, a hair brush, a tooth brush, a shoe, a pencil, an apple, a banana, the remote control, a mobile phone, a drinking cup.

8. Scrunch bag
For the young toddler - Insert tied plastic bags, cellophane and tissue paper into a small mesh fruit/onion bag. Tie a knot at each end. Mesh must be small enough so that baby/toddler cannot get fingers caught.