Fall Leaf Playdough Center

Last Updated on August 5, 2025 by Sheryl Cooper

Inside: Put together a fall leaf playdough center for some hands-on fun that strengthens fine motor skills!

If you are like me and have a collection of themed cookie cutters, you know how fun they can be at the playdough center.

Provide rolling pins to press the playdough flat and then stamp leaves.

We’ve added twigs, too!

This was a lot of fun during our fall theme. Watch the video:

The playdough center is available every day in our classroom, and I’ve shared several different ways we’ve set it up, including:

I did a poll on Instagram awhile back asking who had a playdough table, and I was surprised how many classrooms do not.

I can’t imagine not having this area for my two and three year olds!

There is almost always at least one child at the playdough table, and many times every seat is occupied.

I usually change out what’s on the table when we change themes (usually every two weeks), but I always have playdough tools such as rolling pins and pizza cutters.

And almost always there is some sort of cookie cutter shape involved!

Fall Leaf Playdough Center

Supplies

Playdough
Assorted leaf cookie cutters
Rolling pins
Your choice of playdough tools

I also added small matchsticks one day and pieces of broken twigs another day.

Set Up

I like to have some sort of mat or mirrors at each spot.

I scatter the playdough tools around the table and, just before the children arrive, I put a ball of playdough at each spot.

Time to Play!

The playdough table is often the first place children visit when they arrive. (We start our day with free-choice centers time.)

It’s especially comforting to those that need time to warm up before moving on to the other areas of the classroom.

There’s lots of rolling, pulling, patting, and squeezing taking place.

In other words, lots of fine motor going on!

Pressing anything into the playdough is especially fun for this age group. This is why I provided twigs. I also love to use popsicle sticks, big and small.