Our Easy DIY Playdough Recipe – Made with Pantry Staples
A simple, squishy favourite—ready for magical sensory add-ins!
It’s soft, squishy, long lasting and made from pantry staples you probably already have on hand. No weird ingredients. No crumbly mess. Just good old-fashioned playdough that’s ready for whatever your little one dreams up.
This is our go-to base dough! Perfect on its own, or the starting point for you to add your own magic. Add colour, scent, sparkle, or nature treasures to make it your own. However you mix it, it’s made to be played with.
Scroll down for all our favourite ways to turn this simple recipe into something truly magical.
Part 1: Base Dough
Ingredients:
- 250ml Water
- 100g Cooking Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Cream of Tartar
- 250g Plain Flour (Sifted)
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- Colour - (Find all the magical colour ideas below)
Method:
Gently warm water, salt, cream of tartar and your colour of choice (see suggestions below) in a medium pot. Stir until all ingredients are dissolved. Do not let them simmer or get too hot, as your dough will overcook and become lumpy.
Remove from heat and slowly add in sifted flour while whisking.
Add olive oil & (if using) essential oils or fragrant spices. Start with a couple of drops of essential oil and keep adding until your nose is happy.
Knead mix on a lightly floured flat surface until smooth. If the mix is sticky just sprinkle a bit more flour until the consistency is just right.
Now its time to add your own magical sparkles!
Part 2: Make it Magical!
Colour:
There are many ways to add colour to your dough, but here are some of our favourites.
- Food Colouring - We love the Hopper Natural Food Colour, but any food colouring will work.
- Powder Paints - You can't go past the incredible natural powder paints from Eco Art & Craft.
Scent:
- Essential Oil - Our favourite scent is Lavender (for calm play).
- Spices & Scents - Cinnamon powder, nutmeg, ginger powder vanilla essence and peppermint are some of our favourite seasonings.
Sparkles & Texture:
- Biodegradable Glitter - For some earth friendly sparkle. Find our delightful BioGlitter range here!
- Dried Botanicals for sensory texture. Find our range of dried flowers here or check out your local bulk food store.
Knead in your extra magic sparkles or botanicals (the kids love this part) and enjoy!
Looking for our delightful dough cutters and accessories? Find them all here.
Want to get even more out of your homemade playdough? Check out our fab tip on instagram on how to keep it fresh for months!