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Homemade play dough is one of the easiest and most fun activities to set up for kids. It’s soft, squishy, and perfect for little hands to explore their sensory needs to their hearts desire. Plus, making it at home means you can control the ingredients. You can choose a completely taste safe option for younger toddlers. Alternatively, you can make a longer lasting, non-edible version for bigger kids. In this post I’m going to give you a quick recipe for a taste safe version. I will also provide one for older kids. Then, I will explain how to add seasonal mix-ins for extra fun.

Play dough is such a fun and sensory rich activity for kids. On top of it being a great tool to spark their creativity doing things like making shapes, worms, boats, animals…whatever. It also provides such a great sensory input experience with adding colors, smells, and the fun texture combined.

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Why make it?

Honestly? For me, its simply just fun. I have no issue with buying store bought play dough but as a mom, I really get so much out of personally making and setting up things for my kids that they enjoy and I can say “I did that” or “I made that” it feels like an accomplishment to me.

On top of the personal fulfillment I feel my kids get so much more enjoyment out of things that they helped make. This can be a fun “cooking” activity to do together. When you are done, they can play independently. Or you guys can enjoy your creations together.

Cost effective? Maybe. But it doesn’t last as long as store bought play dough so, maybe not. The benefit is that you control what its made with, and you can customize color and scent.

So what exactly do I mean by taste safe?

Exactly what it sounds like. You probably do not want your child to eat play dough. It is meant for playing, and it is not meant to be eaten. However, if they were to taste it…or take a big bite, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. Speaking from experience here, it’s safe for little mouths.

Taste safe play dough recipe:

The taste safe version of play dough is so quick and easy to make. It only lasts a couple of days, but I don’t even care about that. If you keep it for a few days you will likely need to store with a damp paper towel or add a little water when you get it back out.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of cornstarch
• 1 packet (or 1/4 cup) of pudding, any kind you want really (we LOVE lemon)
• 1/3 – 1/2 cup warm water

That’s it. Combine all the ingredients into a bowl and mix until it’s not too sticky. Slowly add more water (1 TBS at a time). You can also add sprinkles of cornstarch. Adjust until it is a consistency you like. Then you are ready to go.

Fun, smells amazing, and safe for your little ones.

Classic Homemade Play Dough

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup salt
• 2 tbsp cream of tartar
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, cream of tartar, and oil.
2. Add boiling water and stir until a dough forms.
3. Let cool slightly, then knead until smooth.
4. Add food coloring and spices/extracts to customize (see below for ideas)

Note: This play dough can last several weeks when stored in an airtight container.

Mix-ins and play ideas

Here are some fun mix ins and play ideas to make the play last a little longer:

• Add cookie cutter stamps and rolling pins for fun shapes (actual playdough kits are perfect for this, you don’t need anything fancy and these are cheap)
• Add little baking tools and cupcake liners for fun pretend play
• Add in rice or dried chickpeas for a fun sensory experience
• Edible glitter and sprinkles are a super fun edition to the taste safe-version

Here is a list of some fun mix-ins we have found. We also have some container options for storage if you want something dedicated. A cheap plastic airtight container works just fine though.

Want to make it seasonal?

Here are some fun seasonal additions you can make to make them festive:

For Spring: You can add things like flowers, pink or light green food coloring. You can also try strawberry extract or lemon pudding for a fresh spring scent!

For Summer: Add in things like yellow food coloring, little suns, or some mint extract for summertime!

For Fall: Add in leaves, pumpkins, bats, spices or some maple extract for a cozy fall scent. Check out my post on how to make the scents fall!

For Winter: Add a little snowman kit and make them snowmen. Ginger, cinnamon and vanilla for a yummy gingerbread scent or peppermint extract.

Now It’s Your Turn to Create & Play

Whether you decide on the edible or non-edible version. These homemade play dough recipes are a fun way to spark creativity. They fill your home with cozy seasonal scents. Start with the basics, then add holiday or seasonal mix-ins to keep play fresh and exciting all year long!

Don’t forget to pin this post for later!

Pin this post so you can remember to come back to it later, or share it with a friend! I’d love to hear from you once you have tried it and let me know how you liked it!