This epic and easy non-toxic homemade play dough recipe is the secret that keeps my toddlers and littles busy while I bust a move on the house or read with my big kids. Also, it never gets old, because every day it can be different by changing the manipulative that I set out with the play dough.
Since my littles are using it everyday I made a big batch with lots of new colors and I want to show you how you can too. This DIY recipe is fairly non-toxic and keeps for at least 3 months in a mason jar with a lid or a bag with no air.
This is one of my favorite things to do with the kids and there are a million ways to use playdough in homeschool activities from using it to form letters on playdough mats, to letting them have a mini rolling pin with cookie cutters and play kitchen.
This recipe is seriously sooo easy and only uses 4 store-bought ingredients: organic flour, cream of tarter, coconut oil, and salt.
Check out the video to see a step by step on how to make your own play dough at home.
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Jump to Recipe Print RecipeWhy You’ll Love this Playdough Recipe
It is beginner friendly and mom-approved– this truly is such an easy no fuss recipe that should help you not be intimidated by making your own play dough.
Non-toxic – especially if you use no dye at all for this recipe, but if you want a little color the best way to go is by using this real food dye with no artificial colors at all. I love that this recipe is simple and safe for those littles who love to put everything in their mouth!
Super soft playdough – my kids love how soft and warm this play dough comes out. They are always so shocked how soft it is compared to play dough you buy at the store.
Rainy day toddler or preschool activity – when you know you are going to be home with the kids all day, this little preschool activity is the perfect thing to take up the morning AND then use for months to come by simply changing out the little toy you pair the playdough with.
Customize your playdough colors– the kids love how they can tinker with the color they want. This is also a great way for the kids to learn color theory and what colors mix to make new colors.
Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour-make sure it is a newer bag of flour and it will help the play dough last longer.
- Coconut oil
- Salt– doesn’t have to be your nice salt
- Cream of Tartar
Tools you may need:
-Pot on the stove
–Food Based Dye’s or Watercolor Paint for colors is optional
How to Make Homemade Playdough
Step 1: Mix together flour, cream of tartar, and salt
Step 2: Melt one tablespoon of coconut oil and mix it into the flour mixture
Step 3: *If you are going to add a color, add the drops of the coloring to the 1 cup of water (see note below for options on this)
Step 4: Mix water and coloring together before pouring water into the flour/oil mixture
Step 5: Add mixture to a pot over a medium/low and STIR (you have to keep stirring because it will stick to the bottom quickly otherwise.
Step 6: It will be lumpy at first and that is normal, it will start to come together and get more solid.
Step 7: Once it all starts rolling together in one ball remove from the heat and knead! •The heating/cooking ONLY TAKES ABOUT 1 to 2 MINUTES!
Step 8: If it seems crumbly add a couple of drops of water, if it still seems too wet it just needs to be heated in the pot longer.
Step 9: Take off heat and knead for about 15 seconds to bring it together
Optional: to add a couple drops of essential oils to the dough if you want it to have a scent
Tips
- If it seems crumbly add a couple of drops of water, if it still seems too wet it just needs to be heated in the pot longer.
- Remember the flour is WHITE so to make a color bolder you are going to have to counter balance the white and go even darker on the color than you think
- Once you add the water and coloring to the flour mixture if you want it to be bolder just add the coloring directly to the mixture.
- Store in a good air-tight container and the play dough will last 3 months, but may mold after that.
- To delay mold, get a fresh bag of flour
Recipe FAQ’s
It should last around 3 months in an airtight container
It is a good preservative and helps the play dough have a smooth texture and helps it not crumble as easily.
add a couple of drops of water and knead it together
glitter, essentials oils or cocoa powder or cinnamon
–Too sticky → Add a little more flour and knead well
–Too crumbly/dry → Knead in a few drops of water or oil
–Grainy → Use finer table salt (not sea salt — the grains are too big) and make sure everything is fully dissolved before adding flour
–Not smooth → Knead longer! It usually takes 3–5 minutes of kneading to get that perfect silky feel.
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Homemade Playdough Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Pot
- 1 optional natural food dye
Materials
- 1 cup Organic all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons Cream of tartar
- 1/3 cup Salt
- 1 tbsp Coconut oil
- 1 cup Water
- 2 teaspoons ***Optional coloring see note below
Instructions
- Mix together flour, cream of tartar, and salt
- Melt one tablespoon of coconut oil and mix it into the flour mixture
- *If you are going to add a color, add the drops of the coloring to the 1 cup of water (see note below for options on this)
- Mix water and coloring together before pouring water into the flour/oil mixture
- Add mixture to a pot over a medium/low and STIR (you have to keep stirring because it will stick to the bottom quickly otherwise.
- It will be lumpy at first and that is normal, it will start to come together and get more solid.
- Once it all starts rolling together in one ball remove from the heat and knead! •The heating/cooking ONLY TAKES ABOUT 1 to 2 MINUTES!
- If it seems crumbly add a couple of drops of water, if it still seems too wet it just needs to be heated in the pot longer.
- Take off heat and knead for about 15 seconds to bring it together
- *Optional to add a couple drops of essential oils to the dough if you want it to have a scent
Notes
- Dye-free food grade colors for truly non-toxic option
- A couple of drops of watercolor paint will give good vibrant colors
- Once you pull the playdough off heat you can add a couple of drops of essential oils or powder spices to add a scent. This is a fun way to make the playdough seasonal.
- Peppermint Oil for Christmas season
- Lemon, Citrus, Lavender for Spring and Summer
- Powdered Cinnamon or Pumpkin Pie Spice for Fall
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