Name: Scented Playdough
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 cups of unbleached flour; 1/2 cup of sea salt; 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil; 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar; Food coloring (various colors); 10-20 drops of essential oils (choose scents you like, such as lavender, lemon or peppermint); 1.5 cups of boiling water (adult supervision required)

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Welcome to the delightful world of homemade scented playdough! This scented playdough recipe combines the tactile joy of play dough with the enchanting sensory power of scents.

Imagine little hands molding, squishing and creating while being transported to a world of captivating aromas – a great fine motor skills activity!

Whether it’s the soothing scent of lavender, the zesty freshness of lemon or the sweet allure of vanilla, scented playdough adds a whole new sensory dimension to the creative process.

Want more sensory ideas? Be sure to check out our other fun sensory activities for kids!

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In this guide, we’ll share a simple recipe that allows you to make your own scented playdough at home as well as give you lots of sensory play ideas.

So, gather your ingredients, embrace your inner artist, and let the scented playdough adventures begin!

How to Play with Scented Playdough

Homemade scented playdough adds an extra dimension of sensory exploration and creativity.

Here are some engaging ways to play with scented homemade playdough:

Sensory Exploration: Invite kids to explore the unique scents of the playdough by smelling it and describing the scents. This helps with sensory awareness and vocabulary development.

Scented Creations: Encourage kids to create scented art by sculpting objects, animals or scenes. Each color can have a distinct scent, adding a multisensory element to their creations.

Scented Color Matching: Assign a scent to each color of playdough and ask kids to match the scents with the corresponding colors. This is a great memory and matching game.

Scented Storytelling: Have kids create a story using the playdough. Each color and scent can represent a different part of the story, enhancing imaginative play.

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Scented Nature Scenes: Use scented playdough to craft scenes from nature, such as a garden, forest, or beach. Incorporate natural elements like twigs or leaves for added sensory appeal.

Child hands playing with toy insects. Educational game Bug Fossils made with play dough. Fine motor skills. Sensory play for toddlers. Montessori material. Activity for Kids.

Scented Shape Recognition: Flatten the playdough and use scented cutters to make shapes. Encourage kids to name each shape and its corresponding scent.

Scented Math: Incorporate math learning by having kids count objects (like scented playdough balls) or make number shapes and count the sides while smelling the playdough.

Scented Alphabet or Letter Recognition: Form letters and numbers with the playdough, and have kids identify the scents as they learn.

Cooking Pretend Play: Create a scented playdough kitchen where kids can make “recipes” and pretend to cook with the different scents.

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Multi-Sensory Learning: Use scented playdough to reinforce learning concepts, such as spelling, math equations, or geography, while exploring scents.

row of 5 balls of colored homemade play dough

Scented playdough not only engages the sense of touch but also adds a delightful olfactory dimension to play, making it an enjoyable and educational experience for children.

Scented Homemade Playdough Ingredients

Making scented playdough at home is not only a fun and hands-on project, but it also adds a whole new layer of sensory delight to your creative playtime.

With just a few basic ingredients, you and your little ones can craft playdough that smells as fantastic as it feels in your hands.

2 cups of unbleached flour
1/2 cup of sea salt
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
2 tablespoons of cream of tartar
Food coloring (various colors)
10-20 drops of essential oils (choose scents you like, such as lavender, lemon or peppermint)
1.5 cups of boiling water (adult supervision required)

From the soothing scent of lavender to the zesty freshness of citrus or any other aroma your heart desires, the possibilities are as vast as your imagination.

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And have you ever thought about infusing your child’s paint with spices? Trust me, art never smelled so good! It brings a whole new level to Sensory Painting.

How to Make Scented Playdough

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sea salt and cream of tartar. Stir to mix these dry ingredients evenly. Add the vegetable oil to the dry mixture. This will help make the playdough soft and pliable.

Add food coloring to the boiling water. You can use different colors for a variety of playdough shades. Start with a few drops and adjust to reach the desired color intensity.

Carefully pour the boiling water into the dry mixture. Be cautious and consider adult supervision, as the water is hot. Stir the mixture vigorously until a dough forms. The hot water will help bind the ingredients together. Allow the mixture to cool slightly.

Once the mixture has cooled a bit, add your chosen essential oils. This is where you can infuse your playdough with delightful scents. Start with about 10-20 drops, adjusting to your preference.

Transfer the warm dough onto a clean surface. Knead it like you would bread dough until it becomes smooth and pliable. If the dough is too sticky, you can add a bit more flour.

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Note: When not in use, store it in an airtight container to keep it fresh.

completed scented playdough with play-doh toys

Enjoy your homemade scented playdough! It’s a wonderful sensory experience for children and can be customized with different scents and colors for added fun.

Playdough Is Too Sticky

When playdough turns too sticky, it can sometimes feel like a minor setback in your creative playtime.

This stickiness is typically due to an excess of moisture in the dough. The good news is that it’s easily fixable.

You can simply add more flour to the playdough. Start by sprinkling a bit of all-purpose flour onto the sticky playdough and knead it in. Gradually add more flour until the stickiness is gone, and the dough reaches the desired texture.

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This adjustment should make your playdough more workable and enjoyable, allowing you to continue your imaginative creations without a hitch.

Remember that playdough can vary slightly with each batch due to factors like humidity and temperature, so some adjustment might be needed.

Check out these wonderful benefits of playdough for your child every time they pop out the fun.

More Playdough Ideas

Playdough is a versatile and cherished play material that provides children with countless opportunities for fun, exploration and learning.

Playdough Mat Fun!

With these mats, kids can explore, imagine and learn while engaging their senses and fine motor skills.

Whether it’s creating animals, shaping letters or crafting food items, playdough mats offer a versatile canvas for imaginative and educational play.

Scented Playdough

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

This scented playdough recipe combines the tactile joy of play dough with the enchanting sensory power of scents.

Ingredients

2 cups of unbleached flour
1/2 cup of sea salt
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
2 tablespoons of cream of tartar
Food coloring (various colors)
10-20 drops of essential oils (choose scents you like, such as lavender, lemon or peppermint)
1.5 cups of boiling water (adult supervision required)

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sea salt and cream of tartar. Stir to mix these dry ingredients evenly.
Add the vegetable oil to the dry mixture. This will help make the play dough soft and pliable.
Add food coloring to the boiling water. You can use different colors for a variety of play dough shades. Start with a few drops and adjust to reach the desired color intensity.
Carefully pour the boiling water into the dry mixture. Be cautious and consider adult supervision, as the water is hot. Stir the mixture vigorously until a dough forms. The hot water will help bind the ingredients together. Allow the mixture to cool slightly.
Once the mixture has cooled a bit, add your chosen essential oils. This is where you can infuse your playdough with delightful scents. Start with about 10-20 drops, adjusting to your preference.
Transfer the warm dough onto a clean surface. Knead it like you would bread dough until it becomes smooth and pliable.