Fun Littles

Fun and easy kids activities

Spring and Easter Homemade Play Dough

Mar 29, 20146,551 views
Play Doh
Ages2–6 yrs
Prep20 min
Activity30 min
Leveleasy
MessMedium
Works for1:1 · Small group · Class

Make soft, stretchy play dough from basic pantry ingredients in bright spring colors. Then let kids cut, shape and decorate Easter eggs, bunnies, flowers and creatures with beads, sequins and googly eyes.

⚠️ Safety first

  • An adult measures and pours the boiling water and does the first mixing. The fresh dough is hot, so let it cool and check it before handing it to kids.
  • Play dough is not food. It is very salty, so don't let kids eat it, and supervise anyone who still mouths things.
  • Beads, sequins, googly eyes and pom-poms are small parts and a choking hazard. Supervise closely with toddlers, or leave them out for under-3s.
  • Gel food color can stain hands and surfaces before it is fully mixed in.

Before the kids arrive

  • Make one batch per color, so the dough has cooled before kids arrive.
  • Sort beads, sequins, googly eyes and other accessories into a divided tray.

Steps

  1. Put the flour, salt and cream of tartar in a bowl and mix well.

  2. Add the oil, then quickly add 3 drops of gel food color right on top of the oil.

  3. Adult: pour in 1/4 cup of boiling water, saving the extra 1/2 tbsp for later, and mix.

  4. Adult: once it is cool enough to touch, knead until the color is even.

  5. Add the saved 1/2 tbsp of water to make the dough really smooth and soft.

  6. Repeat with a new color for each batch.

  7. Set out the play dough with cookie cutters and your favorite accessories.

  8. Cut and shape Easter eggs, bunnies and flowers, then decorate them.

  9. Press the dough against your clothes to make texture prints.

  10. Press beads, sequins and googly eyes into the dough to make creatures.

Tips

  • To get the smoothest, stretchiest, super supple play dough, follow the measurements and directions.from the author
  • Hold back the last 1/2 tbsp of water until the color looks right, then add it for a really smooth, soft dough.from the author
  • I really loved the color of our play dough. The whole set of Wilton gel food colors was great!from the author
  • My kids even enjoyed making prints using the clothes they were wearing. The play dough was so soft and supple.from the author
  • A hunk of play dough is all the kids need to practice fine motor and cutting skills.from the author

Make it your own

  • Decorate play dough Easter eggs with beads and sequins.
  • Make bunnies and flowers to make things more festive and cheery.
  • Try the author's chilled play dough recipe for a different sensory feel.

The story behind it

By TurkeyMom · March 2014
Homemade Play dough recipe : Spring and Easter theme
It's time for the gorgeous colors of spring and Easter to show up on our homemade play dough. All you need are some basic pantry ingredients.
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Spring and Easter Homemade Play Dough: the original post

It’s time for the gorgeous colors of spring and Easter to show up on our homemade play dough. Making play dough at home at so simple and this homemade play dough recipe cannot get simpler. All you need are our some basic pantry ingredients and you are on your way to having some gorgeous colored play dough for the kids.

Making themed play dough is a great to way to introduce or fun or even continue learning. The children adore practicing their fine motor skills and cutting skills using just a hunk of play dough. { eg: using beads on play dough} Our was super soft, stretchy and smooth.

easter playdough balls I set out our homemade play dough and few of the kid’s favorite accessories and they all had fun exploring the new materials.

materials for easter playdough homemade playdough

They created and decorated play dough Easter eggs. They enjoyed making bunnies and flowers to make things more festive and cheery.

playing with easter homemade playdough

My kids even enjoyed making prints using the clothes they were wearing. The play dough was so soft and supple.

prints on homemade playdough

More fine motor practice using bead, sequins, googly eyes and etc on play dough.

creatures with homemade playdough

Spring and Easter themed homemade play dough recipe

  • 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
  • 1/4 cup + 1/2 TBSP boiling water
  • 1.5 TBSP Salt
  • 1/2 TBSP Cream of Tartar
  • 1- 1.5 TBSP Oil
  • 1/4 TSP glycerin
  • 3 drops of gel food color

To get the smoothest, stretchiest, super supple play dough follow the measurements and directions.

  • Add all the dry ingredients and mix well.
  • Add the oil and quickly add the food coloring on top of the oil.
  • Now add the boiling water reserving the 1/2tbsp of water for later
  • Once the desired color is achieved add the 1/2 TBSP of water to get a really smooth and soft play dough.

I really loved the color of our play dough and would highly recommend the following brand. This entire set of Wilton Gel Food colors were great!

Spring & Easter playdough

Check out our very popular chilled play dough recipe.

Do your kids love playing with play dough and can’t get enough of it? Then this wonderful book packed with so many great homemade play dough recipes and play ideas is for you! It has many cooked, no-cook, scented play dough recipes along with ideas for pairing different materials with play dough. So many activities to last a year!

homemade-play-dough-recipe-11

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