This is a dessert counter made of clay. Four tubs of colour clay, with red, white, brown and yellow lids, come with the tools to turn them into ice cream, pancakes and noodles: a press that squeezes out clay strands, an ice cream scoop, a clear dessert cup, a blue plate and a white plate, a rolling pin, a pattern cutter, a plastic knife, a fork and a spoon. It is a play dough set built around food, which is what most children want to make first.

The press is the piece children reach for. Push a lump of clay into the purple barrel, press the yellow top down and strands of clay come out of the end, ready to be piled into the cup as an ice cream swirl or onto a plate as noodles. The scoop rounds clay into ice cream balls, and the rolling pin and cutter flatten and pattern it for pancakes and biscuits.

Rolling, pressing, scooping and cutting all work the small muscles of the hand that a child later uses to hold a pencil, and serving a pretend customer brings in colours, counting and conversation. The box itself lists observation, imagination, space cognition and hand sensitivity as the skills it is made to build.

Put the lid back on each tub after play so the clay stays soft for the next session. The box does not print a non-toxic claim, so treat it like any play dough: it is for playing with, not eating, and younger children should play with an adult nearby.

The box is branded Bocase Color Clay Creations and marked for ages 3 and up, which makes the set a tidy birthday present for a nursery or school-going child.

Order with Cash on Delivery anywhere in Pakistan, from Karachi and Lahore to Rawalpindi and Hyderabad; stock, your city and the delivery charge are confirmed on WhatsApp before dispatch.

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