Homemade Playdough Recipes for Easy and Frugal Fun with Kids
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These homemade playdough recipes are smart ways to have frugal fun with your kids.
If you're looking for creative ways to help your kids enjoy hands-on activities, making your own playdough is the perfect solution!
DIY playdough is super simple to make plus it provides your kids with opportunities to build fine motor skills and more.
With just some basic ingredients such as flour, salt, oil and food coloring, you can make your own homemade playdough in minutes.
Let's explore some different recipes for playdough, tips for making it last longer, and some fun activities that you can do with your kids using the playdough. Grab your supplies from the kitchen cupboard and let's get started!
Making art supplies at home is a great way to keep kids entertained and have fun while helping them develop their creativity. Plus, you can save a lot of money!
It's inexpensive to make and provides endless hours of creative playtime for your children (and you).
It's Easy to Make Your Own Playdough!
Making playdough is an easy and economical way to keep your kids occupied on a rainy day. All you need are some basic kitchen ingredients including flour, salt, oil and food coloring.
⭐️ Make sure to try our easy homemade playdough recipe (with free printable recipe page) plus creative tips for enjoying. My mom (a retired preschool and Kindergarten teacher) used this recipe for years with her students and passed it down to me to use with my boys.
Flour is the main component of the playdough, providing a starchy texture that’s easy to mold. The salt helps to preserve the dough, while the oil adds some elasticity so it doesn’t dry out too quickly. Finally, food coloring can be added to give the playdough a unique color and make it more fun to play with.
Once you have all your ingredients ready, simply mix them together in a bowl until a soft dough forms. You may need to add a little more oil or water if the dough is too crumbly.
Knead the dough for several minutes until it becomes smooth and pliable. You can then divide the dough into sections, adding different food coloring to each one to make a variety of colors.
** You can find homemade playdough recipes without flour (or other allergens) if you or your kids have any restrictions - or would just like to try them! Emma Owl shares a No Flour No Salt Playdough recipe. And Little Bins for Little Hands shares a No Cook Homeschool Playdough Recipe.
Tips for Making Homemade Playdough Last Longer
Homemade playdough is a great way to keep your kids entertained and inspire creativity.
You may be wondering how to make your DIY playdough stay fresh. Here are some tips on making your homemade playdough last as long as possible:
⭐️ Store in an airtight container – Storing the playdough in an airtight container is the best way to keep it fresh and free from moisture.
⭐️ Add a few drops of oil – Adding a few drops of vegetable or mineral oil can help make the playdough more pliable, making it less likely to dry out quickly.
⭐️ Refrigerate – You can also store the playdough in the refrigerator for a few days to extend its shelf life.
⭐️ Freeze – If you want the playdough to last even longer, you can freeze it for up to six months!
Fun Playdough Activities for Kids
Once you’ve made your own playdough, it’s time to have some fun with it!
Here are a few ideas on how to use the playdough with your kids:
⭐️ Create sculptures – Have your kids make sculptures using the different colors of playdough that you make. They can get creative and make anything from animals to buildings!
My boys love using small objects, like marbles, pebbles, and pom poms, to add texture and pizazz to their creations.
⭐️ Play pretend – Use your homemade playdough to create various props for imaginative play. Your kids can make boats, cars, or anything else their hearts desire.
A great idea is to take out your playdough during a read-aloud or after you've read a book. Encourage your kids to create props to boost their storytime fun.
⭐️ Learn shapes and colors – Help your kids learn about different shapes and colors by using the playdough to make items such as circles, squares and triangles.
These type of hands-on activities help reinforce all the wonderful learning that's taking place.
⭐️ Use printables to boost the fun - You can find so many free printable playdough mats that help guide creative play with this material.
Make sure to grab our free playdough activity mats (subscribe to Rock Your Homeschool for when I add new free playdough resources!):
- Numbers
- Emotions
- Faces (for more fun learning about feelings)
- Winter
- Spring
- Summer
- Fall
- Cinco de Mayo
- Halloween
- Thanksgiving
- Christmas
Homemade Playdough Recipes That You'll Love
There are many recipes that you can try to make playdough. The classic recipe involves mixing together flour, salt, oil, and food coloring as described above.
The good news is that there are also some variations that you can try depending on what type of texture and consistency you’re looking for.
Here are some of our favorite homemade playdough recipes:
Easy Homemade Playdough Recipe
DIY playdough has been one of my top secrets for making learning fun for my boys.
My mom (a retired preschool and Kindergarten teacher) passed down her favorite recipe for making playdough at home - and you can get a free printable page of it (with tips, too)!
Fresh Citrus Playdough Recipe
If you're looking for a way to kickstart your morning on a bright note, try this recipe for fresh citrus playdough.
It's perfect for little ones who may be feeling a bit sluggish and in need of a pick-me-up.
This essential oil-infused playdough is sure to stimulate their minds with 15 minutes of playtime, leaving them feeling energized and ready to tackle the day ahead.
Harvest Play Dough Recipe for Kids
This homemade "Harvest" playdough is the perfect addition to your Little Red Hen reading session and everyday playdough fun.
This playdough recipe is infused with barley seeds, evocative of the harvest season.
Get ready for some hands-on fun!
Mint Cornstarch Playdough
This mint-infused cornstarch playdough brings back memories of sipping refreshing mint tea.
It's a favorite because it stimulates fine motor abilities, boosts creativity, and builds dexterity in growing hands.
This straightforward recipe replaces flour with cornstarch, making it an excellent alternative for little ones who have gluten or wheat intolerances.
Easy Homemade Play Dough Recipe For Kids
Here's a quick-to-prepare homemade recipe for playdough fun!
It requires minimal ingredients, and its cost-effective production takes only a couple of minutes.
Plus, it's unexpectedly velvety and refined texture that surpasses the store-bought alternative!
Make It Fun with Homemade Playdough Recipes
There are SO many cool ways to have a blast with homemade playdough. And there are so many fantastic recipes out there to help you make your own!
This squishy material that can be shaped and molded can provide your kids with hours of fun. Go ahead and try a few of these recipes and see which ones that your students like the most!
Wishing you and your kids tons of playdough fun!
