November 17, 2023

Soft as a Cloud Playdough…using only 2 ingredients

 

Soft as a Cloud...Playdough 2-1

We love Playdough here at Paging Fun Mums so when I saw this recipe over at Kids Activity Blog which is not only a ‘no cook’ playdough recipe but is also made out of only 2 ingredients, we HAD to give it a try!

All you need is:

Soft as a cloud playdough

1 part conditioner

2 parts corn flour/corn starch

Food colouring (optional)

That’s it!

Soft as a Cloud PlaydoughStep 1

Pour your conditioner into a bowl (we used a home brand conditioner – note that not all conditioners are of the same consistency so you may need to add a little more or a little less corn flour to get the right consistency for you)

Step 2

Pour in the corn flour

Step 3

Give the mixture a good stir

Step 4 (optional)

Add a few drops of food colouring

Step 5

Mix well using your hands. This part smells delicious!

Step 6

Have FUN moulding, squishing, shaping and playing with your new Playdough!

Soft as a cloud playdough

 

Soft as a cloud playdough

Soft as a cloud playdough

Soft as a Cloud Playdough

Soft as a Cloud Playdough

Super fun and super easy!

*Please note, this recipe is not able to be digested, so please ensure the kids keep it out of their mouth.

If you liked this activity, you may also like our:

No Cook Playdough Recipe

DIY Silly Putty

DIY Bouncy Balls

DIY Sand Footprint Keepsake

Head to our YouTube channel here for some fun video craft tutorials!

If you want to become a Fellow Fun Mum Member & receive all of our fun craft, recipes & activities as well as special offers & promotions – click the button on our home page : )
 
Oh, and why not pop over and ‘like’ us on Facebook OR perhaps Twitter is your thing. . You can also find us on Pinterest & Instagram too!            

321 thoughts on “Soft as a Cloud Playdough…using only 2 ingredients

    1. I just tried this and it worked out perfectly. My only advice is add the food coloring to the conditioner before adding the corn starch. The dough feels amazing!!!

      1. That’s a great tip Bridget! Thank you so much for taking the time to message us! We’re so glad you’re enjoying your dough! Jenni x

  1. loved your recipe. New version of the old cooked playdough I used to make for my children. I added a few drops of lavender essential oil to one mix. This night time playdough only came out after bath and dinner. The warmth of little hands soon released the lavender aroma tiring my little ones. Bed time was a delight for my cherubs!

      1. We are so glad your grandson will like this idea! Thank you for taking the time to comment Gin : ) Jenni x

    1. Wow never thought of adding the oil! I just made some today and it worked beautifully! Awesome stuff! I used one whole bag and approx 2/3 of a bottle of conditioner. Just add conditioner a little at a time til it’s done

    2. I used one whole bag and approx 2/3 of a bottle of conditioner. Just add conditioner a little at a time til it’s done. I’m taking the ingredients to preschool for the kids to make! Awesome! Thanks!

  2. I have a child in my preschool room that’s allergic to wheat so I’ve been trying lot’s of different cornflour playdough recipes. The children have had lot’s of fun helping but none have worked out yet. I’m looking forward to trying this with them on monday 🙂 thanks for sharing it

    1. That’s great Janet!! It really is so easy to make, smells divine & is just like Playdough! My kids love it & we hope your preschool kids do too!

    2. Hi Janet, I’m pretty sure you could use potato starch also called potato flour, for the child in your class with the wheat allergy! It has the same soft texture and can be used for the same purposes as cornflour. I buy it at coles 😉

      1. Just wanted to say that potato starch and potato flour are two separate things. I would use the starch.

      2. Thanks for the idea! My son is mildly allergic to corn, so I was a little worried about using cornflour and I really want to try this. I will look for some potato starch today at the store!

  3. Just saw this , my 2 kids where being annoying so we made this up in under about 3 min , now they are both outside playing ahhhhhh thanks for the piece and quiet. .

    Although I ran short of corn flour so I just topped it up with sr flour and it’s still beautiful and soft . And your hands feel nice and soft after playing with it .

    1. So glad we could give you some peace Lisa! ; ) Thank you so much for taking the time to comment and thanks for the tip re the flour too! Jenni x

  4. This is great!!! Just wondering if you keep it in the fridge or cupboard and how long it lasts for??? Thanks so much

    1. Hi Deanne, if you store it in an air tight container, you will get about a week out of it. No need to put it in the fridge : ) Jenni x

    1. Oh that’s a shame Kate!! You could get the kids to mix it perhaps? We are going to be trying out more Playdough activities in the future so there will be others you could try too

    2. Hi Kate, Just wondering if you have tried sensitive conditioner?
      I have very sensitive skin. I use sorbolene based conditioner or there’s one called ‘simple’ or ‘tree tea’ those 3 are the only ones I can use for my skin but I always keep gojng to sorbolene. I get it from my local supermarket Coles or woolworths.

    3. http://www.playdoughrecipe.com/cream-of-tartar-playdough-recipe/ no conditioner in this recipe

      Cream of Tartar Playdough Recipe

      Ingredients:
      •2 cups of plain flour
      •2 cups of colored water (food coloring)
      •1 tbsp. of cooking oil
      •1 tsp. cream of tartar
      •1 cup of salt

      cream of tartar playdough recipe

      Directions:
      •Place all of the ingredients in a medium size or large pan.
      •Cook slowly on medium-high and stir it until the playdough thickens.
      •Thought there would be more steps? Nope, we keep it simple.

      Keep the finished playdough in a plastic container in the fridge, that way it lasts alot longer. This playdough recipe is similar to the traditional playdough recipe, make sure to take a look at that playdough recipe too.

      This recipe takes less than 10 minutes, giving you more time to enjoying the finished playdough.

  5. Just made this it’s so easy! Just wondering how to keep it. I’ve put it in a zip lock bag, but I’m wondering how others keep theirs and how long it keeps for?

    1. A zip lock bag should be fine for a good few weeks – we are currently in Summer so we have refrigerated ours, it’s then nice and cool for the kids to play with :). It should last at least a couple of months in the fridge.

  6. I’ve just made some of this and it was so easy to make, just have to work out the correect amounts as we are finding it difficult to use with cutters etc as it sticks. Added a bit more cornflour n a bit better, smells lovely and makes your hands soft too.

  7. Is cornflour the same thing we call corn starch in the States? And does this dry out if left exposed to air? Thanks!

    1. Hi Janet,
      Both are the same…it’s called Cornflour in Australia & Cornstarch in the States. We stored ours in an airtight bag just in case.

  8. Even better, add the food colouring to the conditioner before you add it to the cornflour. It makes it way easier to mix the colour through.

      1. Yes Lorinda – that will work perfectly. It really just depends on how much you want to make – ie. how many kids you have :). Have fun.
        Louise x

  9. Janet,
    just check your cornflour is genuine corn flour and not wheat based. Some is labelled corn flour but made with wheat so would not be suitable for your child with the wheat allergy.

    Cornflour also makes great ‘Ooblek’ an interesting medium that is neither solid or liquid but behaves like both (From the Dr Seuss Story – Bartholomew and the Ooblek).

    Jen – Retired Early Childhood Teacher

  10. Just discovered you. THANKS !!. I am one happy grandma, as there are so many things I can make and do with/for my grand children. Am going to keep this as my “secret”. LOVE IT !!!

    1. Hi Sandy, We are so happy to hear that you love our page :). We have so many great crafts and activities to come :).
      Louise x

  11. This is a great recipe. Dollar store had everything I needed, so my playdough cost $2.00 to make 2 cups worth! What an amazing recipe! Thank you for posting!

  12. To those of you who may experiencing ‘stickiness’ with you your play dough. There are so many factors that could contribute to this. It worked perfectly for us, using the ingredients pictured in a moderate climate. Perhaps high humidity climates could affect the dough consistency or different brands of conditioners.
    As an alternative, you may like to try our very easy ‘No Cook Playdough Recipe’ (http://wp.me/p3Voxt-2Ft). Thank you to everyone who has given us feedback on this fun activity, it’s been great to hear that the majority of you have had such great success! Jenni & Louise : )

  13. This looks like a really easy, fun recipe to make up for our gluten free kiddos. Thanks! Just as a note for those of us in the U.S. — corn starch and corn flour are NOT the same thing in the states. Corn starch is the stuff in the box that you use for thickening, and it is powdery and white. Corn flour is what you use in cornbread and baking, and it is more gritty and beige. 🙂
    ~Alicia

      1. Re: States corn flour

        It sounds like the corn starch is the one to use. It sounds similar to what Aussies call corn flour. Our cornflour is white and soft not gritty or beige

    1. Actually they are the same, I just made it with corn starch and worked great. corn meal is what you make corn bread with.

      1. Actually, there is a corn flour in the states that is still gritty, but a finer grind than corn meal. Just look for corn starch here and you will be set For this recipe. I bake gluten free so I’m pretty familiar with the different flour vs starch options available in the US. (Potato starch and potato flour are also different things).

  14. Going to make this for the grandkids when they come at Christmas. They can make something cool for their Christmas Tree.

  15. Nice recipe, but toxic. Is it edible? What do you think?!? Do your children normally eat conditioner?!? Craziness!!!

  16. Thanks for this recipe! My allergy daughter will enjoy playing with it. When I make it soon, I will try using natural colour – a small amount of beetroot juice in with the conditioner. Thanks again! Donna

  17. Great idea. My daughter is sensitive to most fragrances in conditioners, do you think I could make it with sorbolene and add lavender oil for fragrance instead?

    1. Hi Melissa, we are based in Australia & we can only get corn flour. I have heard conflicting reports as to whether or not corn starch is the same in the US some say yes & some say no

      1. I am from the States, but I live in Indonesia. The corn flour in Australia (and Indonesia) is the same as what we call corn starch in the States. (Corn meal is what we use to make corn bread. It is yellow or beige.) Both corn flour and corn starch are white. In a clear container, they look like powdered sugar (but of course, do not taste or act like powdered sugar!!).

        So for those in the States… use corn starch and conditioner. =0)

  18. Instead of food color I used sparkles. Ran out of cornstarch though, so I tried potato starch just to top it up. Worked great but I got a little too much in and it’s not quite as soft as it was. Breaks easily. I will be sharing this recipe with many. Thanks!

  19. Great idea, I just made some for my grandsons. Mine is not the exact consistency of playdough. It is more the consistency of between ooblek and playdough. Is it supposed to feel same as playdough, or kind of flowy like ooblek? I am sure my grandsons will like what I made, but just wondering.

    1. Hi Elaine, yes it’s not an exact replica of the ‘normal’ playdough but it’s still very soft….it’s definitely not supposed to be flawy like ooblek, so I would add some more Corn Flour! I hope this helps! Jenni x

    1. Hi Cindy, I’ve had no stained hands to date : ) I always ensure I wash their hands thoroughly after play though : ) Jenni x

  20. Excellent. Can’t wait to give it a try. But approxamitly how much shampoo would I put it to make a standard sized play dough?

    1. Hi Yasmin, I used the whole conditioner bottle for one batch (which was 500ml) so you will need 4 cups of corns flour. It all depends on how much you want to make. As long as you use one part conditioner to 2 parts corn starch, you’ll be on to a winner : ) Jenni x

  21. This is so neat. Me & my grand daughter will definitely be trying this next weekend. I absolutely love your site. We’ve tried several different things from your site and my grand daughter and I have had so much fun. Thanks so much for your posts.

    1. Thank you Brenda, we love hearing lovely comments like yours! We hope to bring you plenty more crafts, activities & recipes in the future too!! Jenni x

  22. Hi….in some comments you say keeps a few days in airtight container and others day zip lock bag in fridge for months? Just need to clarify. Cheers! Ps…your 3 ing lemon play dough…does this one keep better?

    1. Hi Janelle, it will keep both in a zip lock bag and an airtight container : ) The Lemon Playdough keeps well in the same manner. Jenni

  23. If there are concerns about a small child eating this, add a bit of alum to the mix. ( its the thing that makes u pucker that is in pickles). Most children will remove it from their mouth as fast as they put it in….although there is always an exception to that !

  24. thanks for the great idea – we are currently in venice and missing some playdough time. these ingredients i can source from the local supermarket. can’t wait to make it! playing with playdough has alot of great benefits and i believe children should be exploring this medium everyday.

  25. Hi, I just made a patch of this. It was great. However I used icing coloring instead of food coloring and my hands are now all pink :p. Just wondering would the same thing have happened with food coloring? Does it still stain when it is all dry.

    1. Hi Maya, that’s a shame : ( We haven’t had any problems with the normal food colouring that you get from the grocery store : ) Jenni x

      1. Thanks I’ll have to grab some the next time I in the store. Is there any particular brand you would recommend?

    2. since icing colors are usually very concentrated, I imagine that is why your hands were colored also. I think the liquid coloring would be easier to remove.

      1. I just made this today with cornstarch, and it turned out fantastic! I added a little extra cornstarch for the right consistancy, but I also some lemon essential oil as well as yellow food coloring. It smells and feels awesome! I’m so excited to share this with my niece! Thanks for the great idea!

  26. I LOVE this idea!! Too bad I didn’t find it in Nov. when we did our unit on Gingerbread, adding cinnamon to it would be amazing! I am excited to try this, though being a preschool teacher in a room with carpet on the floor & only mats under our tables, playdough sometimes isn’t our good friend. Has anyone had any experience with this getting on carpet? If so, did it come out easy and what did you do to get it out? Thanks for this wonderful idea!! 🙂
    ~ Blessings ~
    Charity

    1. Luckily we haven’t had any carpet incidents…yet…I dare say it would not fare too well : ( Thank you so much for stopping by!! Jenni x

    2. dawn and water. brush the areas. or resolve carpet cleaner will get anything out . micro fiber couches especially when you use a brush and towel.or call me owner of Jefferson rug cleaning co. 573 301 2361

    3. Hi Charity,
      As a Sunday School Teacher of 2nd and 3 rd graders I can tell you I’ve had my share of playdoh on the carpet! Just let it dry! After 4 or 5 days take a plastic knife and just rub the knife back and forth to ‘scratch’ the playdoh out! Run a vacuum over the carpet and it’s clean again.

  27. Hi
    I’ve made something like this, but instead of using condition I used baby
    So for the lady who has allergies (Kate@the craft train)
    this hopefully would work for you.
    I’ve also used it with baking flavours! like peppermint, cinnamon etc ( obviously not to eat, just smells yummy)
    And the children love it xx
    April

  28. I just made this with my daughter. We had fun making it and playing with it. The clean up was super easy too. Of course all of the colors were mixed together in the end. Lol. Watching her have so much fun and using her imagination was a blast for me. Thank you for this!

    1. Yes it keeps well in an air tight container in the fridge…for a few months…not that it lasts that long in my house lol! Jenni x

  29. Wow, this is cool!! I always made play dough for my Children and Child Care.. thought you had to have the alumn spice in it too, to keep it from getting hard.. A must try!!

  30. Hi hun thanks so much for this…. just wondering could it be used to make a keep sake plaque of hand prints or would it crumble once dry

  31. Excited to try this with my kids. We’ve made other playdohs, but used dry koolaid as the coloring…..smells amazing.

      1. Many Canadians also spell it ‘colour’. This is the British spelling it.
        We Canadians are also known for being polite, so we would kindly say, I’m sorry but you spelled it wrong 😉

        Great idea! Corn starch sweeps up easily once it dries up!

    1. Actually Ryan Dunn…. we spell it right. Tyvm! Most disgruntled British Mummy and Teacher…. grrrr bring it on.. :O

      1. This is so funny! My old English Granny raised me to spell it colour , labour, honour,etc. I never got it counted wrong in class!

  32. i imagine that the two ingredients are not a hassle to clean out of carpet but the amount of dye used may stain to a degree. you can probably experiment with water soluble dyes or use a fine dry pigment to dye the dough

  33. I made this for my boys all the time when they were young. We colored ours with an unsweetened package of koolaid. Made the playdough smell wonderful too.

  34. hello, this was our preschool, home school project . She had lot of fun. Im looking for the hand print dough instructions. Do you happen to have?

  35. I had my own catering business and made many wedding cakes so I have professional food colours. The kind you get at kitchen supply stores. They are more vibrant and concentrated than the food colours you get in grocery stores. Do you know if those work well?

    1. I definitely think they will work well, but I’m not sure how the staining will go with little hands? Jenni x

  36. I just made two batches; one green, the other peach colored. I added more corn starch and kneaded it until it did not stick to the surface of my counter. I also added color gels as well. I teach preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorders so I am excited to use tomorrow. Lots of sensory here: textures and smells. My only concern is the smell might be too strong. If so, I will look for non-scented conditioners. Thanks for the idea!

  37. I think next time I’ll start with the cornflour and add the conditioner, ‘cos I ended up using equal amounts of both and it ended up very runny. Will try it again though 🙂

  38. Didn’t work out quite like yours mind it is a very humid afternoon it turned out like solid slime. But my son loved it and we had fun too. My hands look slightly bruise like from the food colouring but hey it will wash out in the next couple of days. Cheap corn flour from Coles and fructis conditioner may need to have more corn flour but it is great fun to play with. My five year old is having a blast.

  39. just tried this with cornstarch but mine turned out more like slime, it runs through the fingers. Can I fix this?

  40. Ty for the share, I normally cook the dough, but that means the kids miss out on the best bits! With this method we can get grubby from the outset…. and it ticks so many development boxes, measuring, textures, colours, shapes, motor skills… ah the list goes on and on x

  41. I just saw this posted on FB and only had Corn Starch on hand. It worked great! Just had to add a little more than the 2 parts to 1 part it called for. My kids are LOVING it! Thanks!

  42. We made this recipe yesterday and would offer the following suggestions. 1 six oz box of cornstarch and one 12 ounce bottle of conditioner was just about the right consistency. If you are going to add coloring or additional essential oils to make it smell stronger, I would suggest adding that to the conditioner first before you add any cornstarch. It was a lot of fun, but very messy! 🙂 The bonus is how soft your hands are after handling it. I think my countertop is also especially conditioned too. 🙂

  43. Just a note, this is NOT a non-toxic recipe, so be careful. I wouldn’t recommend giving this to a child who tends to eat things like this…

  44. does this really need to be refrigerated? i work with a young man that is obsessed with playdoh. he doesn’t play with it much but needs to have several colors and takes them out of the container and looks at them, squeezes them occasionally. they dry out very quickly and if we don’t have replacements he does not understand why he can’t have fresh. this would be perfect to make for “replacement doh” but we don’t have a fridge near by.

    1. It will last longer if refrigerated however you could always make smaller batches – maybe quarter the ingredients? Louise x

  45. I just made this dough tonight and my autistic son loves it. Works Awsome with cookie cutters. I was worried about food coloring transferring all over the place so I used lime jello and strawberry jello and it turned out great. I added the jello to the conditioner first.

  46. Finally made it with my 2 kids last night and they loved it! But I supposed I put in a bit too much cornflour, so the dough dries up a bit after a while. we’re keeping it in the fridge for the night, hope it’s still ok when we want to use it again.

    Thanks for the recipe!!

  47. For people who have allergies I use Free and Clear Conditioner and Shampoo. Mix one part Con. or Sham. to two parts water. Shake before using. Otherwise is too think to use. There is nothing in this product containing anything that causes allergies. I will be trying this playdough recipe in the next week or so.

    Has anyone used this recipe to make crafts to give as gifts? Beginning crafts to give away for gifts at Christmas 2014.

  48. I makes fondant just powdered sugar and marshmallows. My daughter likes to eat it that way no harm. but I might try this one with my son!

  49. Where do you buy Corn Flour at and what does one usually make with corn flour? : ) This Play dough Recipe looks much better than the edible playdough I’m use to making which is a Kool-aid playdough. I’ve out of the pre-School age business for a long time now. So I’ve forgotten the different things kiddos enjoy!!!! 🙂 Like this recipe though will keep it in mind for Church Sunday school projects etc. 🙂

    1. Carolyn, I am unsure where you live but you can usually by corn flour in the flour isle in the supermarket. It can be used to thicken sauces, make white sauces and you can use it in different craft activities

      1. Hi, just a minor correction to the recipe. I realised that I posted wrongly.
        It is 2 parts plain flour,
        1 part corn flour
        1 part potato starch

        Food colouring is optional.
        Water is added to the mixture as one goes along mixing it.

        I am from Singapore. I do know that the corn flour we know of here is used usually as the batter for fried foods.

    2. Corn flour in our household is used as a thickener
      For gravys, sauces etc

      We also use it in our baking to create a lighter cake, muffin and so on.

      And we use it to make some things more crisp
      Like sweet and sour chicken, waffles, parmas…

      It has many, many uses 😉

  50. I found corn flour in the Mexican food section of the grocery store. Should have used corn starch. Corn flour is to gritty. Kids don’t really care they love it. Smells great I used strawberry conditioner.

      1. no it’s not. Corn flour is ground corn. Corn starch is the starch removed from corn. BIG difference.

  51. I made this one today then got to thinking, “I have a lot of extra Bath & Bodyworks lotions just sitting around.” The lotion also worked and smells great. Loads of fun happening here in the freezing Wisconsin winter! 🙂 Thanks for the great ideas!

  52. My son is allergic to cornstarch. Do you think this would work well (or have the same texture) if cake flour was used?

    1. Hi Rene, I have never tried it, but I’d love for you to give it a go and let me know how you go!! Jenni x

      1. Great suggestion! Arrowroot is a perfect substitute for any recipe that calls for corn starch. And unlike corn, it is non-GMO.

    2. You could try potato starch…I use it instead of corn starch for a lot of gluten free breads so it should work the same. =)

    3. No, cake flour will not be the same. The starch factor needs to be high.
      Try arrowroot/tapioca/cassava starch. Should work just the same.

  53. Just made this and as both my children have eczema I used normal aqueous cream, similer but thicker thank E45, worked fab but needed less of the cream!!! Thank you for the recipe x

    1. That’s great Lorraine! We’re so glad you’re happy! Sounds like you came up with another great recipe! Thanks for sharing! Jenni x

  54. Pingback: Cloud Dough
  55. What does it mean – 1 part… 2 part….
    Does it mean 1 part equals half the container or 1 cup ? same with 2 (does it mean cups)
    Please Let me know ASAP
    I need to know for tomorrow !!
    Thank You

    1. It means equal amounts of each :). You might want to use two level measuring cups of each to make a larger quantity. Hope that helps. Louise x

      1. …. No it’s relative. part implies a ratio rather than an amount. If using cup measures the resipe requires three parts total, devided into one cup of conditioner to two cups of flour. If you are making lots for a class you may want to multiply the recipe, keeping the ratio of one part conditioner to two parts flour. In this particular instance 1:2 means you’ll use double the flour (2 is double 1)
        If the ratio was say 3:5 you would need to decide on a unit , eg, 1/3 cup. Making the required relative amount 1cup (3 x 1/3) : 1 2/3cup (5 x 1\3)

    2. It just means pick a way to measure and use that for all ingredients, and use as many times of that amount as the recipe says… If I want a small amount I might use a tea cup – so one tea cup of the conditioner and two tea cups of the cornflour… but when I want a big amount I might use a cereal bowl (one of conditioner, two of cornflour).

  56. i totally loved it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ( :

  57. I gave the ingredients to the daycare to do with my 2 year old and apparently it went down an absolute treat. Thanks!

    1. No safer or more dangerous than any other kind of conditioner. The ‘organic’ label only refers to the conditioner ingredients that are from plants. The other ingredients would be the same as in other conditioners, shampoos, etc. So, you still shouldn’t let kids eat the stuff. But if they did, they probably wouldn’t be in any more danger than if some got in their mouths in the bath when you were washing their hair. If you want the best information call a poisons hotline, or contact the manufacturer.

  58. Please be careful of making this for children with sensitine skin. My daughter is very sensitive to fabric conditioner and could definately not play with this. I used the following, well known alternative.
    2 cups flour, 1 cup salt, a little edible oil (corn/vegetable oil), food colour from natural scources (beetroot or similar) and enough water to produce the dough you want. Various softness/stiffnes are great at different times.

      1. If you have super sensitive skin it doesn’t matter if it’s fabric softener or hair conditioner. I do, and I break out like crazy with certain brands of: dish soap, laundry detergent, soap, body wash, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, makeup. In other words, anything that goes on the skin… Just if your child has sensitive skin, be aware of what you are using in it and use something that won’t bother him or her.

  59. Hi I made this the other day for the kids I work with at the daycare. It was awesome the first day, however the next day it just broke apart. Just wondering if there is anything else I could do. I did follow the recipe
    Thanks

    1. In my opinion, this is a “one day” kind of dough. I make it often with my daycare class of two year olds and it lasts through one day of playing and then gets really dry and crumbly. But it’s so cheap and fun that really doesn’t matter to us. We use fruit scented conditioners and little ice cream scoops, cones and bowls that I got at IKEA for about a dollar–instant ice cream party! And no, they have never tried to eat it. Have fun!

  60. There is a difference between corn starch and corn flour. They are made from different parts of the corn plant and have different properties. I tried corn starch and it didn’t work but the corn flour did but broke apart super easily – not as elastic as real playdough. I wonder what I’m doing wrong.

  61. Hi,
    The recipe I am currently using is 1 part each of potato starch, corn flour, plain flour and water. Would you by any chance know if salt is really needed to keep this mixture preserved in its state for about a month?

  62. ok, so its not two ingredients then. ive used cornflour/starch with oil and essence which turns out like a soft cream, very therapeutic. flour has to be used to form a dough which is malleable

  63. Please help me! I’m making for tomorrow’s bd party. How long will the playdough last in a container?! Thank you!!!

  64. hi ! Just needed your help.. : ) wat do u mean by 1 part can u write like tbs or something like that cuz i can’t really understand..It would be great if u could help.. 🙂

    1. Parts refer to what ever measuring unit you use.
      Example: one part of item A, 2 parts of item B and 3 parts of item c
      If you use a tablespoon use 1 tbl A, 2 Tbl B 3 Tbl C
      If you use a measuring cup use 1 Cup A, 2 Cups B , 3 Cups C
      If you use the scoop that came in the lemonade or the kid’s play kit, use 1 scoop A, 2 scoops B, 3 scoops C.
      Hope this helps.
      Pick your measuring container and use the # of each that the recipe says.
      This type recipe makes it easier to make the right size recipe.

  65. Used the recipe with my class of Year 1/2 students for a capacity/procedure lesson. They had a ball, the carpet is a bit messy but a great lesson. We each made our own using 1/2 cup conditioner and 1 cup cornflour. Found at the end that half used shampoo as I just grabbed containers off the shelf. Still worked.! 🙂

  66. I gave my 4 year old grandson the ingredients with cup measures and just watched him make it himself. He was super proud. So was I. Thanks Jenni for sharing.

  67. Just wanted to say how much I LOVVVVVVVVVE this recipe! Made it tonight as a tester and it’s so great! The best thing is that I used some tea tree conditioner, so it smells gorgeous and is green so doesn’t need any colouring 🙂 thanks Paging Fun Mums!

  68. Wow that was strange. I just wrote an really long
    comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t appear.
    Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyhow, just wanted to say
    excellent blog!

  69. i want know that abouth the ingreadents u use for this ,, 1st is wat u mean by conditioner? is it hair conditioner? and 2nd question is wat about the flour? no need to add flour for this?

  70. Just found you. I am a grandmother of 3 boys…6, 4, 1. Where have you been all my life? Looks like so much fun. Can’t wait to try this “playdough” fun mixture. Look forward to future finds on your website.

  71. My daughter was very upset to find our playdoh had all dried out (at 8 am this morning). Google sent me to this post, and in a matter of minutes we had pink “playdoh” again. She loves it.

    When my son woke up a bit later, we made some green for him. They are happily, and quietly, playing together!
    (I used hair conditioner and corn starch as I didn’t scroll through the comments until later, worked great)

  72. Thank you so much for this idea! We are Expats living in East Timor and good quality toys and activities are just not easily available here. My 2 year old loved this playdough and I am certain we will make it over an over again. 🙂 We used potato starch and conditioner and it came out perfectly!

  73. Thank you! This is just what we needed post-Christmas, and with friends coming to visit this evening. 🙂
    Also, I am a play therapist and will definitely be directing clients/patients to your site. Bless you!

  74. This is awesome I have a 3 year old, 4 year old and as you my know kids this age are impatient and busy…we mixed it up together and they have been playing and sharing their colors for over 45 minutes…no fighting

  75. Don’t know what I did wrong but it just didn’t work 🙁 It just stayed a soft crumbly mess, wouldn’t come together at all 🙁

    1. We made this with my prek class today and ours was a mess too, at first. Then, We just dumped the rest of the corn starch in and gradually added more n more conditioner until it formed dough. We were telling the kids that scientists make mistakes too, and that not all experiments turn out the way you expect. Just keep trying. .. It will work (eventually…) Don’t give up!

  76. Hey, my daughters, Caitlyn and Freya tried this for their science expo! It was lovely and their teachers commented on how excellent it was! I love this site! My little baby is gonna love it when it’s born!

    1. You could probably use any starch powder–corn & potato are the easiest to find and the cheapest. Corn flour (UK) is same as cornstarch (USA).

  77. Oh Luved it, the colors are fantastic. But it does not hold toguether and it smears a lot. What have I
    done wrong girls?

  78. For the child care centers who wanted the dough to last longer than one day, you would do better using the flour, salt, oil receipe and add Kool-Aid to the water you are using, this adds a nice scent and for some reason it makes it softer. Also the kids can add flour if it gets sticky, and they love using the flour, its like making real, but pretend cookies and cakes. The reason for using this receipe is you refridgerate in a large plastic storage bag and they love that it is soooo cold, warms up as they play and will last for about 2 weeks. My class has 18, 3 and 4 yr. olds and it comes out every day for play by at least 6 to 8 kids each day. Its good with rolling pins, cookie cutters and also plastic knives for cutting in pieces. For richer colors add some neon food coloring.

  79. If you are having problems, you may be using corn meal instead of corn flour. In the US (and perhaps other places?) corn flour=corn STARCH. Make sure you are using the white, fluffy powder that is often used for thickening sauces. The most popular brand is Argo.

  80. Will it harden if left out like regular play dough? I’m trying to find a cheap alternative to sculpting clay…

      1. Hi Shabnum, you can store it in an air tight container or zip lock back for about 4 weeks! Jen x

  81. Oh my god, this is too genius! Finally a play dough mix that doesn’t require me to cook and fridge anything!

    I’m not a lazy parent, but come on, realistically I don’t have time to be cooking play dough every day >_< Thank you for making this easier! My kids play through play dough so much and it always dries and then we gotta buy more of that real-non toxic stuff. This way, I can use some of my organic hair conditioner and not be too worried.

    Thanks girl! So far, your website has amazing ideas for crafts for my kids! 2 thumbs up!

  82. This is awesome! Was looking for alternatives to Play-doh brand and came across this! I had both ingredients on hand, made it right up and it was a huge hit with my home daycare kids. Thank you! One question; If it ends up getting crumbly, would adding more conditioner and kneading it help? Or am I better off just making a new batch? I’d like to salvage what I can, when I can. Thank you!

  83. Is the dough supposed to be very powdery? mine keeps falling apart and every time i pick it up it gets my hands filled with cornstartch or some thing. and it falls every where. the tiny peices make a big mess. what do i do?

  84. Hi everyone,

    I just recently found this recipe and I think it’s amazing.
    But I was just wondering how long does the dough last for?
    I made it with my Girl Guide group but it seems it doesn’t last for long?

    Thanks again 🙂

    1. Hi Tamara,

      We’re so glad you like this recipe…yes, it doesn’t last long, we always make a new batch for each play session…it’s probably better that way anyway – re germs etc. Have fun with your Girl Guide group! Jen x

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *