Today, my two older kids went to work with their Daddy. Our church runs a local food pantry, and they both love to serve there. Having two less kids in the house meant I got to have some focused time with our two younger children. We read stories, did our homeschooling, and had time to PLAY together.
I know the days are coming when these two won’t be asking me to join in, so I am learning to relish days like today. One of their favorite activities (that I don’t say yes to enough) is playdough.
Playdough is fantastic -and an awesome learning tool for young kids. You can form letters, make shapes, talk about colors…there are so many possibilities!
As they were playing, my son wanted to use the blue -but sadly, it was being used as Elsa’s cape. 😉 I told him I could make him some blue playdough. He was both excited and amazed that I knew how to do that. (Kids are truly the best ego-boosters!) In a few minutes, I whipped up a batch of the best-smelling, softest, non-toxic playdough out there.
I love this playdough recipe for a few reasons:
- It comes together in just minutes!
- Because this recipe doesn’t require cream of tartar, you’re likely to have everything you need on hand!
- You child gets the benefits of an essential oil coupled with sensory play!!
You can easily customize your playdough. I made a batch of blue playdough with Root Beer essential oil for my son, and a batch of pink playdough with Lime essential oil for my daughter. On a day when the kids may need some help calming down (you know the type of day I mean!), I could add Lavender, Anxiety Ease, or Relaxation to my playdough and give the kids the benefits of a calming oil. I could add Thieves or Healthy Hero for a boost of immunity. The possibilities are endless. You’re going to love it -and so will your kids!
Here’s what you’ll need to make this playdough:
Ingredients
1 cup flour
1 cup water
1/4 cup salt
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
food coloring
5-6 drops essential oil of choice
To Prepare:
Mix together all ingredients in a pan over medium-low heat. (Don’t set your heat too high, or your playdough could burn!)
Stir the ingredients together until well mixed. Continue stirring constantly.
The mixture will begin to thicken, and come away from the pan. Continue to stir until the mixture forms a ball.
Remove the dough and knead on the counter until smooth. It will be quite warm to the touch – so be sure to let it cool for several minutes before allowing your child to play with it.
The playdough will keep in a plastic bag in the fridge for several weeks.
I really had no idea you could add essential oil to palaydoh. That’s fantastic!!
This would be a fun craft to do with my granddaughter. I will have to pick up the supplies 🙂