With deer hunting season nearly upon  us, I decided to create a free printable mat for kids who love Play Doh and clay!  Deer hunting marks a big tradition where I grew up, and many family and friends are already caught up in buck fever!

As many are already talking excitedly about what walks by their trail cameras and where to put up their tree stands, we can share their excitement with kids using this easy, printable activity!

Simply help kids roll out their clay or Play Doh and fill in the antlers and letters on my free play mat.  (It looks more difficult than it is.  It took me about three minutes to do the antlers and letters in the photo above.)

My toddler is a little too young to roll and mold the Play Doh.  She’s just started playing with it and is under tight supervision so that she doesn’t eat it.  That being said, she really liked watching me form the antlers and letters.  We even spent the next few days saying “B says ba” and “B is for Buck.”  We also put our hands on our head like antlers, and she thinks that’s hilarious.

This is a great activity for older toddlers and preschoolers as you can use it to teach letters, shape recognition, and strengthen fine mother skills.  Honestly, kids just love to be involved in what their parents are doing, and this is a quick and easy way to let them share in buck fever.

I love Play Doh because it really helps strengthen their hand muscles and provides a fun way to tune fine motor skills.

As for my printable, you can let them work right on the paper.  However, I recommend using a page protector or laminating it to make it a little more durable.

Click here for my Deer Season Printable Play Doh Mat.

Do you want to see more play clay mats?  I’d love to hear your ideas for educational lessons or themes in the comments below!

If you are interested in other Fall or Thanksgiving themed printables, check out these:

Printable Quiet Books

I regularly post quiet books and activity packs on my Etsy shop.  For a couple of bucks, you can instantly download, print, and enjoy a variety of educational activities.  Click here to check out my latest items.

Printable Family Fall Tree Craft

Family members make a collage of their fingerprints for this easy (and decorative) craft.  Check out my post Thanksgiving Craft for the Whole Family for a free printable template and instructions.