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No Cook Playdough Recipe

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Sensory play is so important for kids but it needn’t be difficult or expensive to provide at home or in the classroom. This homemade NO-COOK PLAYDOUGH RECIPE is ridiculously easy to make and it only takes a few minutes!

This homemade playdough is perfect for little ones who love exploring with their hands. It’s also great for bigger kids too, who can enjoy making all sorts of patterns, shapes and models. As it only takes a few minutes to make, you can easily whip a batch up whenever your kids want to enjoy some sensory fun. It’s so easy to make that the kids could even do that bit too!

No Cook Playdough shaped into a face on a tabletop.

Simply mix a few ingredients together to make a no-cook playdough that is soft, pliable, and will keep the kids entertained for hours! Plus, it’s a great sensory activity to help develop fine motor skills and hand eye co-ordination.

A collage of playdough images overlaid with text " Super Soft No Cook Playdough Recipe".

If you make a selection of colours, which is very easy to do, it’s also a fabulous hands on activity for kids to explore colour mixing too!

A pile of three colours of playdough. The top, purple colour is being stretched upwards by a hand wearing red nail polish.

Let your kids enjoy creating all sorts of fun shapes, patterns and models with this super soft no-cook playdough. When they’re done playing, simply store the playdough in an airtight container. 

So skip the store-bought stuff, scroll down and I’ll show you how to make simple playdough in a matter of minutes.

The Best No Cook Playdough Recipe

5 ingredients for making playdough laid out in glass bowls on a worktop.

Playdough Recipe Ingredients:

  • 1 Cup Flour
  • ½ Cup Salt
  • ½ Cup Water
  • 1 Tabs Vegetable Oil
  • ½ Tsp Gel Food Colouring (Add more or less depending on depth of colour required)

How To Make Playdough

No Cook Playdough Recipe step 1.

1 – To start your playdough, mix together the salt and flour in a large mixing bowl.

No Cook Playdough Recipe step 2.

2 – Mix the gel food colouring with the water and then add it to the flour mixture, along with the oil.

No Cook Playdough Recipe step 3.

3 – Stir together the ingredients to make a doughy consistency. Once it’s come together  you can use your hands and mix, fold and knead the dough until it reaches a gorgeously soft and pliable playdough consistency.

No Cook Playdough Recipe step 4.

4 – repeat this process to make as many different colours as you like.

Playdough Making Tips:

  • If the dough feels a little too wet simply sprinkle on a little more flour and knead it in.
  • If the playdough feels too dry add a few more drops of water.
  • Store your dough in an air tight container or bag.
  • If your kids make a model that they want to keep you can simply leave it out to slowly air dry until solid.
  • You can use cooking oil or coconut oil.
  • Try adding a few drops of essential oils for a sensory smell element too.
  • Have fun adding glitter, sand or sequins to change the look and texture of your homemade dough.
  • Gel food colours will give the dough a more vibrant colour. This set of Wilton Icing Colours is my favourite. (Available in the US and UK.)

More Fun Play Ideas To Enjoy:

A Sensory Nature Cutting Tray is a fun activity for kids to engage with nature, stimulate the senses and develop fine motor scissor and sorting skills too.

Sensory Nature Cutting Tray

ART YOU CAN EAT is such fun! Check out our easy EDIBLE PAINT RECIPE and get the kids busy creating their own RAINBOW BREAD MASTERPIECES.

Edible Paint Recipe – Rainbow Bread

FALL SENSORY BOTTLES - It's easy to let babies and toddlers explore the colours, sounds, shapes and patterns of Fall/Autumn safely with attractive homemade sensory bottles.

Fall Sensory Bottles

ALL NATURAL LEAF THREADING ACTIVITY for kids - engage with Nature, get creative and develop fine motor skills.

All Natural Leaf Threading

EDIBLE SENSORY PLAY BALLS ACTIVITY - a truly multi sensory play experience. Kids will love feeling, smelling, hearing, seeing and tasting it!

Edible Sensory Play Balls

EDIBLE FINGER PAINT RECIPE - An easy homemade sensory, edible finger paint recipe that kids of all ages will adore exploring. This kids painting idea is so fun. Taste safe finger paint isn't just for babies and toddlers! #sensory #sensoryplay #sensoryrecipes #paintrecipes #ediblepaint #ediblesensoryplay #fingerpaints #kidsart #kidscrafts #craftsforkids #kidscraftroom #sensorybins #painting #kidsactivities #preschool #prek #ECE #earlyyears

Edible Finger Paint

Water play is great fun and not just for Summer!  Discover the full benefits of water play and tips to easily incorporate it into your day to day play schedule throughout the whole year.

The Benefits Of Water Play

Meadow Oobleck/Gloop is an exciting sensory play opportunity that stimulates kids senses, connects them with Nature and promotes many areas of learning.

Meadow Oobleck Sensory Play

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