This basic playdough recipe is my favorite. You can really put your own spin on and turn it into just about anything fun. This time I added essential oils to make this Scented No Cook Playdough. Not only will it be a fun activity to do with the kids, but a calming activity as well. Come on in and I’ll share my recipe for this playdough fun…
Scented Playdough with Essential Oils
This is such a fun and easy recipe to make. After you are done making the playdough, give the kids a playmat, cookie cutters, and some rolling pins for lots of fun!
What are some other At-Home Activities that You Can Do With the Kids?
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Here’s what you’ll need to make your own Homemade Playdough with Essential Oils
- 3 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup of salt
- 1 Tbsp. of Cream of Tartar
- 2 Tbsp. of Baby Oil
- 1&1/2 cups of warm water – hot enough to dissolve the salt
- Essential Oils – check out some common ones and their properties above
- food or soap colorant
- *you can substitute baby oil for another oil – like canola, coconut, or vegetable oil
Here’s a quick video to show you how we made this fun Playdough…
Precautionary Note – Ingestion should be avoided. If your child has skin allergies, you can do an allergy test on the skin by diluting the oil and placing a small bit on the forearm. If there is an allergic response within 48 hours, that oil should be avoided.
Instructions for playdough:
- In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, and cream of tartar
- In another bowl, mix the oil, water, and 20 drops of essential oil of your choice
- You can also add the colorant now, or wait and divide the dough up to make several different colors out of one batch
- While the water is still very warm, Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix
- Knead the dough – if it is too sticky add more flour (1/2 cup at a time)
- *If you held off on adding colorant, then add the colorant to the divided sections of dough. Knead the dough to transfer the color throughout
Do you like the marble look on the playdough? Here’s how I achieved that…
- After the playdough is ready to play with but without any color, add a few drops of colorant to the dough
- Tip: You can place the play dough into a baggie for this next step to avoid color stains on hands
- Begin kneading the dough. The color will start to slowly spread through the dough and give you a cool marble look
- *Eventually, the color will spread throughout and be one consistent color, but for a little while it is a fun marbelized color
FAQs
What do you do when homemade playdough starts to dry out?
- Have a squirt bottle nearby with some water in it. Kids can add a small amount of moisture and work it into the dough to revive it, again.
How do you store Homemade Playdough?
- Keep playdough in an airtight container like a zip-tight bag or plastic container for up to 3 months
How long will homemade playdough keep?
- This recipe is made with cream of tartar. Cream of tartar will keep the playdough fresh and free of mold.
Ideas and tips for making playdough with kids:
- Divide the dough into baggies, seal the baggies and let the kids knead the warm dough. The kids will enjoy feeling the warm squishy dough and watching it change shapes
- Let the kids shake some glitter into their bags and knead that into the dough
- Add other scents to make combinations
- Add natural colorants instead of food colorant – like, cocoa powder for brown, cinnamon, fruit like strawberries, blueberries, and beets (you may need to add more flour to balance the moisture out)
What are Common Essential Oils Used for Aromatherapy and What Benefits Do They Have?
- peppermint – known for relief from itching and joint pain, increases mental function, and reduces stress
- eucalyptus – elevates moods, rejuvenates the spirit, relieves exhaustion
- lavender – promotes relaxation and sleep
- rosemary – boosts memory
- thyme – relieves fatigue and stress
- lemon – known to improve mood and reduces stress
- frankincense – relaxation, peace, and overall wellness
