One of the easiest ways to incorporate more sensory play into your child’s routine is by letting them play with playdough.
And, you can avoid spending tons of money and simply make your own at home by following some simple playdough recipes!
Many are made with just a few simple ingredients. I’ve found 6 awesome playdough recipes you should try today!
Table of Contents
1. All-Natural Playdough
Some parents are hesitant to use store-bought playdough because they worry about exposing their kids to certain chemicals or problematic ingredients.
If you want to avoid these but still want your child to experience the benefits of playing with playdough, try this all-natural playdough recipe instead.
For this playdough recipe, you just need the following three ingredients:
- 1 cup of flour
- ¼ cup of salt
- ½ cup of warm water
Combine the flour and salt together in a mixing bowl, and add the warm water. Knead the mixture with your hands until it becomes smooth. You can add additional flour if the dough is too sticky.
If you want to add color to the playdough, you can add a few drops of natural food coloring to the water.
You can also use the juice from vegetables like carrots or beets to change the color of the dough.
This is a FANTASTIC activity to go along with changing seasons!
2. Simple Playdough
If you don’t want to add any dye and prefer a simple, straightforward dough that’s free from potentially toxic ingredients, here’s another recipe that you can try. You only need these three ingredients for this dough:
- 1 cup of baking soda
- ½ cup of cornstarch
- ¾ cup of water
Combine the baking soda and cornstarch in a pot, using a whisk or mixer to get rid of any lumps. Add the water and cook the mixture over medium heat while stirring constantly.
As soon as the mixture begins to gather, remove the pot from the heat, and let it cool. Once it’s finished cooling, knead it together to form a smooth dough.
3. Peanut Butter Playdough
Most playdough recipes don’t taste very good… but if you want to make some playdough that’s fun to play with and fun to eat, this peanut butter-based dough is a great option!
Before you give it to your kids or their friends, be sure to double-check that no one has any peanut allergies!
For this peanut butter playdough, gather the following ingredients:
- 3 fresh marshmallows
- 2 tablespoons of peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar
Place the marshmallows and peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for about 10 seconds, then remove the mixture from the microwave and stir it together until it’s smooth.
Add powdered sugar and knead the dough with your hands until it’s no longer sticky. Give it to your kids for a fun (and tasty) afternoon activity!
4. Tempera Playdough
Powdered tempera paints have vibrant colors that will spice up any playdough recipe and make the finished product look just like what you’d buy from the store.
This recipe is a bit more complicated than some of the others on this list, but it’s a great option if you want to end up with playdough in a wider range of colors than you can get with just food coloring.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to tempera playdough:
- 4 cups of flour
- ¼ cup of powdered tempera paint (make sure it’s non-toxic)
- ¼ cup of salt
- 1 ½ cups of water
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
Combine the flour, powdered paint, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add water and oil, stirring them gradually into the dry ingredients. While adding the liquid, knead with your hands to form a smooth dough.
If the dough seems too sticky, add some additional flour. Add more water if it’s too dry.
5. Oatmeal Playdough
Here’s another edible playdough recipe that is perfect for days when the kids are bored and you don’t have a lot of ingredients on hand. All you need are these three ingredients to make some oatmeal playdough:
- 1 cup of flour
- 2 cups of oatmeal
- 1 cup of water
Mix the flour and oatmeal together in a bowl. Gradually stir water into the mixture and knead until a dough forms. You can add food coloring or vegetable juice at this point to give it a more fun color.
Keep in mind that this playdough recipe will result in a stickier dough than others. However, it’s a fantastic option for a unique sensory experience!
6. Kool-Aid Playdough
For playdough that smells good and has a vivid color, Kool-Aid is the perfect ingredient to add. Mix up these ingredients to take your kids’ playtime to a new level:
- 2 cups of boiling water
- 1 package of Kool-aid
- 3 tablespoons of corn oil
- ½ cup of salt
- 1 tablespoon of alum powder
- 2 ½-3 cups of flour
Add the Kool-Aid powder to the boiling water, then stir until it’s dissolved all the way. Add the oil, salt, and alum powder, then mix in the flour. You may need to add some extra flour if the dough feels too sticky.
Level Up Kids’ Sensory Play with These Playdough Recipes
Sensory play is essential for kids’ development, and playdough is the perfect tool that you can use to level up your kids’ sensory playtime.
Keep these simple playdough recipes in mind and you’ll have no trouble whipping up some sensory fun in no time!
