Playdough is a favourite sensory activity for many children and you can easily make your own homemade playdough recipes with a few simple ingredients! Making playdough at home is a great activity to do with kids and one that will provide them with hours of creative fun!
Playdough is a great creative play activity for toddlers and preschoolers, but just as much fun for bigger kids too!
And these easy playdough recipes are sure to inspire your kids with all the cool things to make with playdough!
Playdough Activities: Things to Make & Ways To Play
Playdough sensory play ideas are limited only to your child’s imagination, with so many cool things to make with playdough.
The pliable dough can be used to sculpt pretty much anything, so set your child a challenge to build a particular thing or person.
For younger children, playdough can be used to teach colours, shapes, and fine motor skills as they construct and model their soft dough.
It will also help them to improve hand strength and coordination through play.
Give kids a variety of rolling pins, cookie cutters, decorative pattern scissors and stamps to manipulate the dough.
Teach letters, numbers and words by having your child create letters and numbers from the flexible dough. Playdough mats are a great way to encourage this fun learning activity.
Here are some fun things to make with playdough:
- Bugs
- Animals
- Monsters
- People
- Food – make your own pizzeria or ice cream shop
- Shapes
- Letters and numbers
- Lifecycle of a plant or animal
- Faces
- 2D pictures
- Flowers and plants
- Cars
- Roll it flat and make patterns or textures with different objects like leaves and rollers
- Excavate by hiding little objects inside such as toy dinosaurs
Basic No Cook Playdough Recipe
For a very simple no-cook playdough recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
- 4 cups of plain flour
- 2 cups of salt
- 8 teaspoons of cream of tartar
- 4 tablespoons of oil
- 1 litre of boiling water
- Food colouring in colours of your choice
Simply mix it all together thoroughly and knead until you reach the right consistency for playdough.
For loads of cool playdough recipe variations, scroll down! But first, here are some tips for keeping your homemade playdough perfect for longer:
How To Store Homemade Playdough
Just like store-purchased Play Doh and other varieties, homemade playdough should be stored in an airtight container.
A plastic container with a firm sealing lid is perfect for this. Be mindful that some playdough recipes may stain containers, so avoid using your best storage containers.
You can also store playdough in ziplock bags, although it will not stay fresh as long.
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How Long Does Homemade Playdough Last?
Homemade playdough will last quite a long while if stored well. You may prolong the life of it by storing in the refrigerator, however, it will typically last around 3 months or longer if stored in an airtight container or ziplock bag.
How To Make Playdough Soft Again
Uh oh, the kids left the playdough out too long or didn’t seal the container properly. Can you make hard playdough soft again? It is possible if it hasn’t completely dried out.
Try first by adding a few drops of water at a time to your dough and working it in until it is back to a similar consistency as it was beforehand.
Or dip it into a bowl of water, then rework it until it softens and stops feeling slimy. This can be a messy job, so do it over the bowl or over a sink.
Want to make slime? Check out these easy homemade slime recipes too!
Cool Homemade Playdough Recipes To Try
Find the best homemade playdough recipes with these fun varieties you can make with your kids for endless hours of play fun. From glitter playdough to edible playdough and every colour of the rainbow, you are sure to find plenty of inspiration from these easy to make dough recipes!
Calming Lavender Scented Playdough
Create your own calming playdough for your child with this homemade recipe. The scent and the benefits of the sensory play can help kids better regulate their emotions.
Easy Homemade Rainbow Playdough Recipe
Make brightly coloured rainbow playdough to brighten up your day!
Pink Lemonade Playdough
This playdough recipe smells just like pink lemonade.
Magic playdough recipe that changes colour
This Magic Playdough changes colour as you play. Easy to make and provides hours of exploration and learning.
Kool Aid Playdough Recipe
Amazing Kool Aid Playdough smells amazing! This simple-to-make play dough recipe will delight little hands and noses as they strengthen hand muscles and have FUN!
All-Natural Gluten-Free PlayDoh
Safe PlayDoh for celiacs and kids of all ages! An easy tutorial on How To Make All Natural Homemade Gluten-Free PlayDoh. A fun and easy craft to DIY with the kids and have them playing for hours! Non-toxic, no artificial colours or chemical ingredients required!
Homemade Glitter Playdough
Making homemade glitter playdough couldn't be easier. Try a no-cook version or the cook version:
Classic Homemade Cooked Playdough Recipe
This classic homemade cooked playdough recipe makes soft, smooth dough kids will love to use. Great for all ages to squish and play!
Frozen Winter Play Dough Recipe
If your kids love Frozen, they will love this winter scented playdough fun inspired by their favourite movie.
3 Ingredient Play Dough Bubble Bath
An easy Playdough Bubble Bath recipe to make bath time fun! What a great way to get kids excited for their bath.
Peanut Butter Playdough
This edible peanut butter playdough only requires 3 ingredients and is perfect for younger children and their sensory play.
Ice Cream Playdough
2 Ingredient play doh that looks just like ice cream and is taste safe? It’s the best! Use simple items to add a fun imaginative element to your sensory play.
Easy No Cook Playdough Recipe
This no-cook playdough recipe is the easiest recipe ever and the best part is it is ready in just 4 minutes! With just 4 pantry ingredients you can have a tartar free playdough mix ready to go.
Jello Playdough
Looking for a fun sensory activity? Try making jello playdough! It smells amazing and it is so smooth.
Super Soft 2-Ingredient Play Dough
This playdough recipe is made using baby lotion making it super soft and scented.
Kool-Aid Playdough Recipe without Cream of Tartar
Instant Glitter Play Dough
Did you know that you can easily turn any play dough into glitter play dough? Find out how.
Easy Homemade Play Dough Recipes
Compare the results of two easy recipes - cooked and uncooked - for homemade play-dough.
Edible Play Dough
Easy to make edible playdough that is more than taste safe your kids can actually eat it and be fine.
Patriotic No Cook Play Dough Recipe
This Patriotic No-Cook Play Dough Recipe is just what you need to get kids in the spirit for days like the 4th of July, Memorial Day, and Labor Day. It's so much fun to whip up a batch of this and play with your kids, and including the patriotic theme makes it versatile for many holidays and events!
2-Ingredient Cloud Dough
Something a little different to try, this 2 ingredient cloud dough, otherwise known as moon sand, is a fun messy play sensory activity for kids. Definitely one for outdoors!
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