This has to be the BEST homemade playdough recipe around! Finally, an easy playdough recipe you don’t have to cook! Kids love playdough and it works magically for a variety of ages. Add this no cook playdough recipe to your bag of sensory recipes, and you will always have something fun to whip up any time you want! Plus, check out our list of fun and free printable playdough mats you can use with playdough!
PinNo Bake Playdough
I don’t know too many kids who don’t love a fresh batch of homemade playdough. It makes a wonderful sensory play activity, enhances learning activities, and feels amazing for the senses! Cookie cutters, natural materials, plastic kitchen tools are all fun ways to explore playdough.
My son has loved playdough for years, and I am excited to share with you this awesome go-to no cook playdough recipe that he loves. Change it up for the seasons and holidays too with some of our fun playdough ideas below.
Watch the Video:
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of flour
- 1/2 cup of salt
- 1 cup of hot water (possibly a 1/2 cup more)
- 2 tablespoon of cooking oil
- 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar
- food coloring
How To Make No Cook Playdough
Remember, this playdough is NOT edible, but it is non-toxic!
STEP 1. Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl, and form a well in the center.
PinSTEP 2. Add the cooking oil and food coloring to the dry ingredients.
PinSTEP 3. Add water and stir to form the playdough! Go ahead and knead your playdough until you reach your desired consistency!
TIP: If you notice that the playdough looks a little runny, you might be tempted to add more flour. Before you do this, allow the mixture to rest for a few moments! That will give the salt a chance to absorb the extra moisture. Feel your playdough before you add any additional flour! You likely won’t need any but if your dough is sticky, add an additional 1/4 cup of flour at a time.
PinPLAYDOUGH COLORS: You can also make a giant batch of plain no bake playdough, and then color each one separately!
Simply form a lump of playdough into a ball and then make a well in the center of each ball. Squirt in a few drops of food coloring. Close up the well and get to work squishing. This may get a bit messy but can make for a fun color surprise.
PinMore Fun Ways To Make Playdough
Hands On Learning With Playdough
Playdough is an excellent addition to your preschool activities! Even a busy box comprised of a ball of homemade playdough, a small rolling pin and special little additions like acrylic gems or small accessories can transform an afternoon.
Suggestions For Playdough Activities:
- Duplos are fun to stamp in playdough!
- Use number or letter cookie cutters along with homemade playdough for math and literacy. Add counters for one to one counting practice too.
- Create a holiday theme such as orange playdough and black spiders for halloween with dice for counting.
- Add a handful of google eyes to the playdough and a pair of kid-safe tweezers to practice fine motor skills while removing them!
- Pair a favorite book such as a truck book with a ball of fresh playdough, small vehicles, and rocks! Or a mermaid book with sparkling gems to create mermaid tails.
- TOOBS animals pair well with playdough too and are perfect for exploring different habitats around the world.
- Grab one or more of our printable playdough mats with themes such as In The Garden, Bugs, Rainbow Colors and more.
CHECK IT OUT: Playdough Activities for the whole year!
PinHow Long Does No Cook Playdough Last?
The great thing about no cook playdough is that is lasts for ages if stored correctly, and can be played with again and again!
We love homemade playdough because you don’t have to hunt it down in the store, and the kids can help you make it! Making your own playdough is truly delightful and it’s also much less expensive than buying playdough.
Plus, no cook playdough stays fresh much longer if you store it properly, and you can easily change it up for whatever theme you want! Kids love how soft it is too!
Store it in the refrigerator, in a sealed container and your playdough should last several weeks to a month or longer, depending on amount of use. If it is not sealed it will dry out, crumble easily and not be as pliable. When that happens it is best to discard it and simply make a new batch!
No Cook Playdough Recipe
You can add scented oils to your play dough to enhance the sensory play. Additionally, you can add spices like cinnamon or dried lavender and lavender oil for a calming playdough activity!
If you want an easy-to-use printable resource for all of your favorite playdough recipes as well as exclusive (only available in this pack) playdough mats, grab our printable Playdough Project Pack!
Additional Free Printable Playdough Mats
You can find all of our printable playdough mats here or check out some of our favorites…
- Bug Playdough Mat
- Rainbow Playdough Mat
- Flower Playdough Mat
- Recycling Playdough Mat
- In the Garden Playdough Mat
- Shape Playdough Mats
- Weather Playdough Mats
More Fun Sensory Recipes To Make
We have a few more recipes that are all time favorites! Easy to make, only a few ingredients and young kids love them for sensory play! See all our sensory play ideas here!
Make kinetic sand that is moldable play sand for little hands.
Homemade oobleck is easy with just 2 ingredients.
Mix up some soft and moldable cloud dough.
Find out how simple it is to color rice for sensory play.
Try edible slime for a taste safe play experience.
Of course, playdough with shaving foam is fun to try!
Printable Playdough Recipes Pack
If you want an easy-to-use printable resource for all of your favorite playdough recipes as well as exclusive (only available in this pack) playdough mats, grab our printable Playdough Project Pack!
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