Looking for a fun Easter basket filler? Non-toxic, easy homemade playdough is a 15-minute DIY and sweet gift to put together for kiddos.
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What you will need
Saucepan– use a clean medium-sized saucepan for each color of dough you want. Either multiple pans or wiping out in between batches to avoid undesired color mixing.
4oz. or 8oz. Mason jars with lids
Cookie cutters, rolling pin, or other dough modeling tools
Embellishments (I like googly eyes, rhinestones, and other little easy-to-clean toys for playdough play)
Optional: fabric and ribbon or twine for wrapping
Ingredients for Easy Homemade Playdough
All-purpose flour
Filtered water
Cream of tartar- if you do not have cream of tartar, baking powder is made up of baking soda and cream of tartar. Use baking powder as a substitute. Increase the amount by 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder for every 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar (1 teaspoon cream of tartar = 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder substitution; 2 teaspoons cream of tartar = 3 teaspoons baking powder substitution)
Salt
Liquid cooking oil– I like to use avocado oil or olive oil.
All-natural food coloring– I use this brand from our local health food store. The amount of food coloring you use will depend on the color you are trying to achieve.
Optional: Glitter (we like to put glitter in playdough occasionally for a fun addition. I use edible because we have babies so just in case… 🙂
Essential oils– I use therapeutic-grade essential oils from YoungLiving because they are a brand I have used for years in our home. I am comfortable with them for our babies and family.
When Choosing Essential Oils
Having tried a few other essential oil brands in the past, the quality is just not the same as I have found with Young Living.
I highly recommend finding a brand you can trust! A brand that is monitored from seed to final product and tested. Essential oils can be very dangerous, especially around babies, so choose brands wisely and avoid any that contain added fillers.
Here are a few scents to start with that are on the safer side for children:
- Lavender
- Orange
- Frankincense
Oils to avoid:
- Peppermint (can burn the eyes after being handled)
- Oregano
- Thieves
- Clove
- And other oils that are considered “hot oils” can burn.
Here’s an article on hot oils and how to safely use essential oils.
For a closer look into Young Living Essential Oils, you can check them out here. (affiliate link)
For further information on using essential oils with children or beginning to use them in your home, I like the book Gentle Babies by Debra Reyburn.
If you are unsure about the safety of oils being handled in the dough, just omit the oils and the playdough is still just as fun!
Easy Homemade Playdough Recipe: Step-by-step
Makes around 24 oz. of playdough (6, 4oz. jars worth)
Step 1: Cook playdough
In a medium-sized saucepan, add the flour, water, salt, cream of tartar, and liquid cooking oil.
Turn the stove to medium-low heat.
Mix until the dough just starts to come together.
Step 2: Add coloring
Next, add your food coloring to your desired color of homemade playdough.
The colors I used were natural liquid food dye from our local health food store. I like these because they are food-based colors and do not have the harmful ingredients that commercial food dyes contain.
These ones are similar from Amazon.
Color vibrancy and making red playdough: If you want more vibrant color that takes more than one bottle of food coloring; or if you are trying to make red and not pink, you will have to use an entire bottle of food coloring if not more. Add in an extra tablespoon of flour if using this amount of liquid food coloring.
Note on making different colors of easy homemade playdough: You will want to use a clean saucepan for each additional color of homemade playdough you would like to make to avoid undesired color mixing.
Step 3: Remove from heat
Once the dough has come together and is easily removed from the side of the pan, transfer the dough to a piece of parchment paper.
Step 4: Add essential oils
After allowing the dough to cool slightly until it is easy to handle, add essential oils.
I used 5-10 drops of each oil and massaged them into the dough until well combined. Lavender is nice for the springtime.
Step 5: Storing easy homemade playdough
Once the homemade playdough has cooled completely, store the dough in an airtight container.
I like to store the dough in little 4oz. or 8oz. Mason jars like these. For gifting, placing a decorative piece of fabric over the top of the lid and tying it off with a ribbon or twine is a beautiful touch.
Shelf life
This easy homemade playdough has a shelf life of a couple of months! As long as the dough goes back into an airtight container after playing with it, our playdough has lasted anywhere from 3-4 months at a time.
Occasions for Gifting Easy Homemade Playdough:
Valentine’s Day- using heart-shaped cookie cutters, pink or red coloring, and embellishing dough creations with heart-shaped rhinestones can make a fun Valentine’s Day-themed playdough kit to gift to your little ones.
For another fun Valentine’s Day idea, check out this Valentine’s Day Healthy Fruit Snacks Recipe.
Easter Baskets– this easy homemade playdough is a sweet, cost-effective addition to Easter baskets for little kids.
Stocking Stuffers– using little 4oz. Mason jars make the perfect-sized playdough jars for stuffing stockings during Christmas.
Gifts for young children and preschoolers– if you have a birthday party to go to for a little friend, consider involving your children in the process of making this easy homemade playdough as a part of their gift!
Birthday party favors– homemade playdough can be a great little party favor to send with guests after hosting a child’s birthday party.
More Kids Activities
Easy homemade playdough is a fun activity to do with our kiddos, especially preschoolers. Here are a few more ideas for our sweet little preschoolers!
- 50+ Life Skills to Teach Preschoolers
- Homeschooling Preschoolers: Tips for a Life-giving Day
- Preschool Homeschool Schedule + Daily Rhythm
For more DIY Projects for Children
Easy Homemade Playdough
Equipment
- 1 medium-sized saucepan
- 1 mixing spoon
- 6- 4oz. Mason jars with lids or 3- 8oz. Mason jars
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup water
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar or 3 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1/3 cup salt
- 1 tablespoon liquid cooking oil I used avocado oil
- All natural food coloring to desired color
- Essential oils optional
Instructions
Cook playdough
- In a medium-sized saucepan, add the flour, water, salt, cream of tartar, and liquid cooking oil.
- Turn the stove to medium-low heat.
- Mix until the dough just starts to come together.
Add coloring
- Next, add your non-toxic food coloring to your desired color of homemade playdough.
Color vibrancy and making red playdough:
- If you want a more vibrant color that takes more than one bottle of food coloring; or if you are trying to make red and not pink, you will have to use an entire bottle of food coloring if not more. Add in an extra tablespoon of flour if using this amount of liquid food coloring.
Note on making different colors of easy homemade playdough:
- You will want to use a clean saucepan for each additional color of homemade playdough you would like to make to avoid undesired color mixing.
Remove from heat
- Once the dough has come together and is easily removed from the side of the pan, transfer the dough to a piece of parchment paper.
Add Essential Oils
- After allowing the dough to cool slightly until it is easy to handle, add essential oils.
- I used 5-10 drops of each oil and massaged them into the dough until well combined. Lavender is nice for the springtime.
Storing easy homemade playdough
- Once the homemade playdough has cooled completely, store the dough in an airtight container.
- I like to store the dough in little 4oz. or 8oz. Mason jars like these. For gifting, placing a decorative piece of fabric over the top of the lid and tying it off with a ribbon or twine is a beautiful touch.
Shelf life
- This easy homemade playdough has a shelf life of a couple of months! As long as the dough goes back into an airtight container after playing with it, our playdough has lasted anywhere from 3-4 months at a time.
