Celebrate smiles all year with our fun dental activities for preschoolers! While February is officially Children’s Dental Health Month, these activities are perfect anytime. Through fun crafts, songs, games, and hands-on practice, kids will learn why brushing and flossing matter and how to care for their teeth in a way that sticks. Whether you’re a parent or teacher, these playful ideas will help little ones explore oral health with confidence—and a big, bright smile!
10+ dental activities for preschoolers
These playful activities make learning about dental health fun and easy for preschoolers.
1. Happy tooth, sad tooth sorting game
This activity helps children understand the difference between foods that are good for their teeth and those that are not. Kids will sort pictures or examples of foods into categories, deciding if they make a tooth “happy” or “sad.”
Materials Needed:
- Two large paper cutouts of a tooth (one with a happy face, one with a sad face)
- Pictures or real examples of various foods (e.g., apple, carrot, cheese, candy, soda, cookies)
- Glue or a sorting mat
Instructions:
- Discuss with children the concept of “good for teeth” and “bad for teeth” foods.
- Show them each food item or picture and ask them to decide if it makes the tooth happy or sad.
- Have them sort the items by gluing them onto the corresponding happy or sad tooth cutout, or by placing them on designated sorting areas.
2. Egg carton teeth brushing
This hands-on activity provides a fun and practical way for children to practice their brushing and flossing skills. Using an egg carton as a model mouth, they can actively clean off plaque drawn on the “teeth.”
Materials Needed:
- Empty white egg carton (6- or 12-cup)
- Washable markers (brown or black to represent “plaque” or “food”)
- Small toothbrush
- Playdough or yarn (for flossing practice)
- Small cup of water (optional, for dipping the brush)
Instructions:
- Cut the egg carton in half lengthwise to create a “mouth” shape.
- Draw “plaque” or “food” marks on the bumps of the egg carton (the “teeth”) using washable markers.
- Give the child a toothbrush and demonstrate how to brush the “teeth” clean using circular motions.
- For flossing, press small bits of playdough between the egg carton bumps. Show children how to use a piece of yarn to “floss” out the playdough.
3. Giant model mouth
Creating a large-scale mouth model allows preschoolers to visualize their own oral anatomy in an engaging way. Children can practice proper brushing techniques on the oversized “teeth,” which can be made from marshmallows or cotton balls.
Materials Needed:
- Pink or red construction paper or cardboard (large sheet)
- Mini marshmallows, white cotton balls, or white playdough (for teeth)
- Glue
- Large toothbrush (can be a toy one)
Instructions:
- Cut the pink or red paper or cardboard into the shape of a large open mouth.
- Have children glue mini marshmallows, cotton balls, or rolled-up white playdough onto the “mouth” to create teeth.
- Once the “teeth” are secure, provide a large toothbrush and let children practice brushing the “teeth” using proper up-and-down and circular motions.
4. Toothpaste slime exploration
This sensory activity lets preschoolers explore the texture and scent of toothpaste while reinforcing its purpose. Children will enjoy making and playing with slime, learning about the cleaning agent that keeps their teeth healthy.
Materials Needed:
- Non-toxic glue (PVA glue like Elmer’s)
- Toothpaste (mint or bubblegum flavored, small amount)
- Baking soda
- Contact lens solution (containing boric acid)
- Mixing bowl and spoon
- Optional: glitter, food coloring
Instructions:
- Pour a desired amount of glue into the mixing bowl.
- Add a small squeeze of toothpaste to the glue and mix well.
- Stir in a pinch of baking soda.
- Gradually add contact lens solution, mixing continuously, until the mixture starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl and form slime.
- Knead the slime with your hands until it’s no longer sticky.
- Encourage children to explore the slime’s texture and smell, discussing how toothpaste helps clean teeth. (Ensure children understand not to eat the slime).
5. Plaque attack science experiment (egg experiment)
This powerful visual experiment demonstrates how sugary drinks can harm teeth, making the importance of brushing clear. Hard-boiled eggs are stained by dark liquids, then children can try to brush them clean, mimicking tooth decay and cleaning.
Materials Needed:
- Hard-boiled eggs (at least two)
- Clear cups or jars
- Dark-colored soda, juice, or coffee
- Water
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
Instructions:
- Place one hard-boiled egg in a cup and fill it with dark soda/juice/coffee.
- Place another hard-boiled egg in a separate cup and fill it with water (this is the control).
- Let the eggs sit overnight (or for several hours).
- The next day, observe the stained egg from the dark liquid. Discuss how the liquid has stained the egg, similar to how sugary drinks can stain and harm teeth.
- Give the child a toothbrush and toothpaste and let them try to brush the stained egg clean, demonstrating how brushing helps remove stains and prevent decay.
6. Dentist dramatic play center
Setting up a pretend dentist’s office encourages imaginative role-playing and helps children feel more at ease with dental visits. Kids can take turns being the “dentist” and “patient,” practicing dental check-ups and care.
Materials Needed:
- Toy dentist tools (or clean household items like spoons, small mirrors, cotton balls, empty toothpaste tubes)
- Stuffed animals or dolls as “patients”
- Small table or chair for a “dentist’s chair”
- Optional: doctor’s coat, surgical mask, pretend X-ray pictures
Instructions:
- Arrange the materials to create a “dentist’s office.”
- Encourage children to take turns being the “dentist” and the “patient.”
- Guide them in pretending to check teeth, brush, and explain what the dentist does to help keep teeth healthy.
7. Toothbrush art
This creative activity allows children to explore painting in a unique way, using toothbrushes instead of traditional brushes. It’s a fun method to engage with the tool that keeps their teeth clean, encouraging artistic expression.
Materials Needed:
- Construction paper or cardstock
- Various colors of washable paint
- Old toothbrushes (one per color or child)
- Newspaper or a messy mat to protect surfaces
Instructions:
- Provide children with paper and different colors of paint.
- Instead of traditional paintbrushes, offer old toothbrushes.
- Encourage them to explore different brushing strokes and patterns on the paper, creating unique art. You can even suggest they pretend to be brushing giant teeth!
8. Healthy foods tooth collages
This activity combines art with nutrition education, helping children visualize which foods contribute to healthy teeth. They’ll create a collage by gluing pictures of tooth-friendly foods onto a happy tooth cutout.
Materials Needed:
- Large paper cutout of a happy tooth
- Magazines, grocery store ads, or printed pictures of food
- Scissors (child-safe, or pre-cut pictures)
- Glue stick
Instructions:
- Talk about foods that are healthy for teeth (e.g., fruits, vegetables, dairy, water) and foods that are not (e.g., candy, sugary drinks).
- Have children look through magazines or ads to find pictures of healthy foods.
- Guide them in cutting or tearing out the healthy food pictures and gluing them onto the “happy tooth” cutout to create a collage.
9. Tooth fairy craft
A fun and imaginative craft that can help ease any anxieties about losing baby teeth and introduces the concept of the tooth fairy.
Materials Needed:
- White construction paper or cardstock
- Glitter, sequins, craft feathers, markers for decoration
- Scissors (child-safe)
- Yarn or ribbon for hanging
Instructions:
- Cut out tooth shapes from white paper for each child.
- Provide various craft supplies for children to decorate their “tooth.” They can draw faces, add glitter for sparkle, or attach wings to create a tooth fairy.
- Attach a piece of yarn or ribbon to the top for hanging. Discuss the tooth fairy tradition and why taking care of teeth, even baby teeth, is important. Then read The Tooth Fairy Poem and Comprehension to connect this craft with a fun literacy activity.
10. “Brush Your Teeth” song and movement
This activity uses music and movement to make learning about dental hygiene fun and memorable. Preschoolers will engage by singing a simple, catchy song about brushing while acting out the motions.
Materials Needed: None, or a puppet/picture of a toothbrush and a tooth
Instructions:
- Teach preschoolers a simple song about brushing teeth. Many popular children’s tunes can be adapted (e.g., “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” or “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”).
- Tune: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” “Brush, brush, brush your teeth, Brush them every day! Up and down and all around, To keep the germs away!”
- Encourage children to make brushing motions with their hands or pretend toothbrushes as they sing. Add movements for flossing or rinsing as well.
11. “What’s in the Bag?” healthy food game
This mystery game helps reinforce what foods are good and bad for our teeth. Children reach into a bag to feel and guess a food item, then decide if it’s a “happy tooth” or “sad tooth” food.
Materials Needed:
- An opaque bag or box
- Various healthy and unhealthy food items (or plastic food toys)
- Happy tooth and sad tooth cutouts (from Activity 1)
Instructions:
- Place a food item inside the bag without the children seeing it.
- Have a child reach into the bag and try to guess what the food is by feeling it.
- Once they guess, take the item out. Discuss whether it’s a “happy tooth” food or a “sad tooth” food and place it on the corresponding cutout.
- Continue with different food items.
Sum up
Learning about oral health doesn’t have to be boring. These dental activities for preschoolers offer a fun, hands-on way to build healthy habits early on. From brushing crafts to pretend dentist play, each activity helps kids understand how to care for their teeth in a playful and memorable way. Whether at home or in the classroom, you can turn simple moments into valuable lessons for a lifetime of healthy smiles.
