30+ Easy Homemade Playdough Recipes: Learn how to make playdough with these DIY homemade playdough recipes! The BEST playdough recipes of all!
This post may contain affiliate links. I will receive a small commission from these sales at no additional cost to you!
DIY Homemade Playdough
Kids the world over love playing with playdough and for good reason! It’s a wonderful sensory toy that encourages creativity while they mold, shape, squish, and pull the dough into all sorts of fun shapes.
Fortunately, you don’t have to buy store bought Play Doh to get in on all the fun. It’s super easy to make your own play dough at home with a variety of different ingredients. In fact, you’re quite likely to have everything you need for at least one of these homemade playdough recipes in your home already!
Playing with playdough is a great way to pass the day when you have to stay indoors, too. First, you get the experience of making or cooking it up with your kids. Then, they’ll spend hours molding and shaping it and including it in their play.
If your child has skin sensitivities, making your own homemade playdough is a smart choice, as you can adjust the ingredients to avoid anything that would cause skin irritation. Many of these fun recipes are taste-safe or edible as well, so you don’t have to worry about your sneaky toddler taking a bite.
Store homemade playdough in an airtight container, and it’ll last for weeks or even months. Once you learn a few basic recipes, it’s super simple to adjust them to different holiday themes, ingredients, and colors.
You May Also Like These Kids Crafts & Sensory Activities!
Fun Homemade Playdough Recipes
It’s never been easier to concoct your own playdough recipe at home! Using just simple ingredients, these easy recipes avoid the sticky mess of store-bought playdough. Pretty soon, you’ll be a master at creating the perfect dough recipe for your little ones!
Powdered Sugar Playdough
Powdered Sugar Playdough from Little Bins for Little Hands: This 2-ingredient edible playdough is totally safe to eat. It feels soft and smells incredible since you’re using frosting and powdered sugar.
Cake Mix Playdough
Cake Mix Playdough from Messy Little Monster: This playdough looks just like a funfetti cake mix, so it’s the best playdough recipe to play baker with. The colorful sprinkles add to the fun, but they’re optional.
Earth Day Playdough
Earth Day Playdough from Happiness is Homemade: Use our favorite easy homemade playdough recipe or your own to make some blue and green playdough for Earth Day. Such an easy activity for a homeschool, or preschool teacher!
Rainbow Foam Dough
Rainbow Foam Dough from Little Bins for Little Hands: This colorful sensory cloud dough is made with shaving cream and cornstarch! It’s so fun to squish in your hands. We just love the brilliant colors this recipe makes!
Natural Chamomile Playdough
Natural Chamomile Playdough from Natural Beach Living: This calming playdough uses natural materials and is a no-cook playdough recipe, so it’s super easy to whip up. It smells lovely and evokes a sense of peace and calm.
RELATED: TMNT Sewer Ooze Slime + More Fun!
Glittery Snow Playdough
Glittery Snow Playdough from Happiness is Homemade: When winter comes around, this glittery snow playdough is the next best thing to playing in the snow outside. That means it’s great if you live in an area that doesn’t typically get snow! The glittery dough makes a fun backdrop for your child’s Arctic or woodland animal toys.
Pumpkin Pie Playdough
Pumpkin Pie Playdough from Happiness is Homemade: It just isn’t autumn without pumpkin pie everything, and that includes playdough, too! This homemade playdough recipe smells fantastic! Kids will have a blast sniffing and playing with it.
2-Ingredient Playdough Recipe
2-Ingredient Playdough Recipe from 123 Homeschool 4 Me: If you’re looking for a super easy playdough recipe that can’t fail, this is a great one to start with. This simple recipe is just made with conditioner and cornstarch. Can you believe it? This soft playdough is easily moldable, and comes in such vibrant colors!
Peeps Playdough
Peeps Playdough from Little Bins for Little Hands: Do you love Peeps, or are they not your thing? No matter which side of the divide you fall on, this Peeps playdough recipe is a fantastic way to use up some of those marshmallowy treats!
Chocolate Playdough
Chocolate Playdough from The Happy Home Life: This chocolate playdough is taste-safe and made with only 5 ingredients. Since it’s a no-cook recipe, it comes together very quickly. And who doesn’t like the smell of chocolate?
Cinnamon Cookie Playdough
Cinnamon Cookie Playdough from The Craft Train: With its aromatic cinnamon scent, this cinnamon cookie playdough recipe smells just like you’re baking. It’s my favorite recipe for fall.
Frozen-Inspired Microwave Playdough
Frozen-Inspired Microwave Playdough from The Chaos and the Clutter: This Elsa-inspired playdough will encourage you to “Let It Go” and have some fun with the kids! Plus, making it in the microwave is way easier than cooking it up on the stove. Kids will have endless hours of entertainment with this easy play dough recipe.
Cookie Dough Playdough
Cookie Dough Playdough from Natural Beach Living: Make edible cookie dough playdough to go along with the book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. That’s one of our favorites, so the story and the playdough activity together make for an afternoon of fun with the kids.
Super Soft 2-Ingredient Playdough
Super Soft 2-Ingredient Playdough from Artsy-Fartsy Mama: Here’s another 2-ingredient playdough that’s made with baby lotion and cornstarch. Kids will love playing with it, and moms will love that baby lotion smell while making it.
Moon Dough
Moon Dough from STEAM-Powered Family: It’s silky smooth, easily moldable, and utterly irresistible to kids. It’s also taste-safe, so even toddlers can enjoy playing with this moon dough without worry.
Pink Princess Playdough
Pink Princess Playdough from Crayons and Cravings: Girls will adore this pink, sparkly diy playdough recipe. Though it is made with cake mix and frosting, the recipe is not taste-safe with regular glitter. Use edible glitter instead if you need a taste-safe recipe.
Sand Playdough
Sand Playdough from Natural Beach Living: You’ll feel total beach vibes when you make this cool sand playdough with the kids. This is the best recipe for sensory play! Shape it into sandcastles and even ocean animals, there are so many fun ways to play!
Blueberry Dough
Blueberry Dough from The Craft Train: This beautiful purple homemade dough is made with real blueberries and is ready in about 10 minutes! Adjust the depth of the color by adding more or fewer blueberries. It’s a perfect recipe for kids making pretend blueberry pies.
Calming Lavender Scented Playdough
Calming Lavender Scented Playdough from The Chaos and the Clutter: Lavender is a soothing scent, so it’s a perfect choice for a sensory outlet like this calming playdough for kids. They’ll enjoy the lovely fragrance as they squish and pull on the dough. The best part is – It can easily be made using either lavender essential oils OR actual lavender, making it a super easy recipe for those who already have some growing in the garden!
Jungle Playdough
Jungle Playdough from Picklebums: Mix some grass into play dough to make the perfect recipe for jungle play. It’ll be so fun to use it with your child’s jungle animals to make animal tracks/footprints, etc.
Pink Lemonade Playdough
Pink Lemonade Playdough from Fireflies and Mud Pies: Looking for the best homemade playdough recipe that screams summer? This one is it! It smells just like a tall glass of lemonade.
Apple-Scented Playdough
Apple-Scented Playdough from Messy Little Monster: Apples and autumn go together like peanut butter and jelly! This apple playdough will remind you of a crisp fall day. Young children will love cutting out their own apple shapes using adorable Fall cookie cutters.
Edible Ice Cream Playdough
Edible Ice Cream Playdough from 123 Homeschool 4 Me: Kids will go crazy for this bright, colorful playdough recipe that can be shaped to look just like real ice cream. They can play Ice Cream Shop and practice their money-counting skills at the same time.
Coffee Ground Playdough
Coffee Ground Playdough from Natural Beach Living: It looks like dirt, doesn’t it? This fun playdough is made with coffee grounds, so not only does it smell yummy, it’s perfect for playing with toy worms, bugs, spiders, and other creepy crawlies that you’d find in the dirt.
RELATED: 30+ Art Activities for Preschoolers
Strawberries and Cream Playdough
Strawberries and Cream Playdough from Glue Sticks & Gumdrops: Strawberry extract, vanilla extract, and edible glitter make this pink playdough an excellent choice for Valentine’s Day or Spring.
Spiced Citrus Playdough
Spiced Citrus Playdough from Childhood 101: Let the kids help make this spiced citrus playdough with real cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and citrus juice. Your kitchen will smell amazing, and it’s a helpful exercise to allow kids to practice their measuring skills with teaspoons and measuring cups.
Dandelion Playdough
Dandelion Playdough from Parenting Chaos: Dandelions may be considered weeds, but we love them! They’re a magical part of any childhood, and you can use them to create beautiful yellow playdough.
Jellybean Playdough
Jellybean Playdough from Lemon Lime Adventures: When Easter comes around, save some jellybeans to press into this pretty pastel playdough. It’s made from mostly powdered sugar, so it’s edible and safe for kids of all ages.
No-Cook, No Cream of Tartar Playdough
This No-Cook Playdough from The Purposeful Nest is made with just a few basic ingredients that you likely already have on hand. Best of all, you can make this playdough without cooking it and without using any cream of tartar.
Galaxy Playdough
Sparkly Galaxy Playdough from Made to be a Momma: This soft, colorful playdough is perfect for out-of-this-world play! Shades of pink, purple, and blue blend together for a galaxy look. Add a touch of stars and glitter for a fun playtime activity!
Frequently Asked Questions About Homemade Playdough
How long does homemade playdough last?
Stored in an air-tight container or plastic zipper bag, homemade playdough will last at least a week and will often last as long as two months!
Note that playdough recipes containing fresh and moist ingredients like fresh fruit will not last as long.
Does homemade playdough need to be refrigerated?
Generally, no. Unless the recipe specifically calls for refrigeration, most homemade playdough does not need to be refrigerated.
Can you make homemade playdough without cream of tartar?
Yes! Many of the recipes in this collection don’t include cream of tartar. However, if you’re wanting to try one that does, and you don’t have any cream of tartar on hand, you may substitute baking powder for the cream of tartar or omit it altogether.
Who knew creating your own playdough could be so much fun?! If you enjoyed these activities, check out our giant selection of Kids Crafts, here!
Check Out These Other Kids Crafts & Activities!
Heidi Kundin has captivated the hearts of millions with her colorful and inspiring approach to crafting, celebrations, and family fun. With over 15 years of experience, Happiness is Homemade has become a must-visit destination for those seeking quick and easy creative ideas and last-minute solutions. Heidi’s warm personality shines through her posts, inviting readers to join her on a creative journey that’s fun, rewarding, and achievable. Heidi is also the author of Homemade Bath Bombs & More and DIY Tie-Dye.