Make your own homemade playdough with pantry staples for a fun sensory play activity with soft dough in any color.
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Did you know that you can make your own homemade playdough? It’s easy to make on the stovetop with a few pantry staples.
Playdough is one of those classic kids’ materials – like homemade bubbles – that’s easy to make fresh whenever you need it. You can customize it with food dye to make any color, even that hard-to-find shade that’s your child’s favorite!
Homemade playdough is perfect for sensory play, pretend cooking, and even math and science learning.
This recipe cooks on the stovetop, but it’s really fast to make!
Playdough tips
- The recipe below includes precise measurements, but they’re really guidelines. If your play dough is too dry, add a bit more water. If your dough is too wet, add a bit more flour.
- You can use any food dye to color your dough. In general, gel colors are more vibrant than water-based colors. Add just a bit because a little goes a long way!
- Although this recipe uses pantry items, this play dough is NOT edible. A tiny taste probably won’t hurt, but this should not be eaten. Supervise children while playing with playdough.
- This playdough is best the same day or the day after it is made but it will keep for a few weeks. Store playdough in a sealed container at room temperature. Check the dough each time before playing – if the dough texture has changed or smells off, discard it.
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How to make play dough
Supplies
- saucepan
- measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- spatula
- plastic zip bags
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 0.5 cup salt
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1/2 tablespoon cooking oil (vegetable, canola, coconut)
- 1 cup water
Instructions
1. Mix dry and wet ingredients.
Combine flour, salt, and cream of tartar in a small saucepan. Add the oil and water and stir to combine. At this point, the dough will be pretty wet.
2. Heat and stir the dough.
Heat on the stovetop, stirring until ingredients are combined and a soft dough forms, about 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the heat and allow it to cool to the touch.
3. Knead the dough thoroughly.
Place the uncooked dough on a clean surface and knead it until it is smooth.
4. Divide and color.
Divide the dough into 4 portions (or more) and place each one in a separate zip bag. Add a few drops of food coloring to each bag, then seal. Knead the dough until the dye is incorporated.
5. Hand mix to finish.
After the color has been mixed into the dough enough, you can remove it from the bag and finish mixing in the color by hand. It should be soft and the color even throughout the dough.
Playdough is great for sensory activities and open-ended play! Mix up the dough in a few colors and set up a play area. A table with an easy-to-clean tablecloth is a great option.
You may want to pick up assorted tools such as utensils, dishes, cookie cutters, a small rolling pin, or a tray with a lip. These should be just for play dough and not used for regular household cooking. Thrift shops are a great place to find these items for just a few dollars.
Printable instructions
Playdough
Materials
- flour
- salt
- cream of tartar
- coconut oil
- water
Tools
- saucepan
- measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- spatula
- plastic zip bags
Instructions
- Combine flour, salt, and cream of tartar in a small saucepan. Add the coconut oil and water.
- Heat on the stovetop, stirring until ingredients are combined and a soft dough forms, about 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the heat and allow it to cool to the touch.
- Place the uncooked dough on a clean surface and knead it until it is smooth.
- Divide the dough into 4 portions and place each one in a separate zip bag. Add a few drops of food coloring to each bag, then seal. Knead the dough until the dye is evenly incorporated.
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