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Super Soft Playdough Recipe

by Angela Thayer 56 Comments

It’s no secret that we love playdough at our house. We play with it almost every day! Since I like making different kinds of play dough, like jello playdough, marshmallow playdough, and kool-aid playdough, I wanted experiment in the kitchen and try some of my other ideas out. And it worked because I came up with a recipe for SUPER soft playdough.  It is really the softest playdough we’ve ever made!

Super Soft Playdough Recipe

Ingredients for Super Soft Playdough

Now that I’ve talked it up, are you ready for the recipe?  Here’s what you need:

  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup baby powder (this is the secret ingredient! If you don’t like using baby powder, corn starch is a good alternative)
  • 1/4 cup salt
  • 2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1 tablespoon of baby oil
  • 3/4 cup of water
  • food coloring (I used gel food coloring)

making super soft playdough

Steps for Making Super Soft Playdough

  1. Start by mixing 3/4 cups flour, 1/4 cup baby powder, 1/4 cup salt and 2 teaspoons of cream of tarter in a bowl.
  2. Next, mix in the 1 tablespoon of baby oil, 3/4 cup of water, and a few drops of food coloring.
  3. Cook the mixture on the stove on low heat for a few minutes.
  4. Keep stirring and watch for it to start sticking together. If the mixture seems too dry, add in a little water.
  5. Cook the dough until it does not stick to your fingers when you touch it. If it is too sticky, try adding a Tablespoon or two of flour.
  6. Once it looks like a dough, remove it from the heat and then knead in some flour until you get a good consistency.

kneading soft playdough

This playdough feels SO soft and squishy! And it smells really great, too! We had fun being creative with the new playdough.

butterfly made from super soft playdough

Ways to Play with Playdough

We love playdough for so many reasons! When children play with playdough, they are building strength in their hands, which will help with fine motor skills and handwriting. Try the following activities with playdough:

  1. Use a roller to roll the dough flat. Then use cookie cutters to cut out shapes.
  2. Roll the dough and cut it with scissors.
  3. Give them toy animals to play with the playdough.
  4. Form letters and numbers with the dough.
  5. Roll the dough into balls and smash them with your palm.
  6. Decorate the dough with small items, such as gems, pony beads, and googly eyes!

You can also add a few drops of essential oil to make it smell lovely!

Check out how we made the dough with the video below!

Print Recipe

Super Soft Playdough

Servings: 1 playdough

Equipment

  • 1 bowl
  • 1 spatula
  • 1 mat
  • 1 burner or stove

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup baby powder
  • 1/4 cup salt
  • 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1 tablespoon baby oil
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 3-5 drops food coloring

Instructions

  • Start by mixing 3/4 cups flour, 1/4 cup baby powder, 1/4 cup salt and 2 teaspoons of cream of tarter in a bowl.
  • Next, mix in the 1 tablespoon of baby oil, 3/4 cup of water, and a few drops of food coloring.
  • Cook the mixture on the stove on low heat for a few minutes.
  • Keep stirring and watch for it to start sticking together. If the mixture seems too dry, add in a little water.
  • Cook the dough until it does not stick to your fingers when you touch it. If it is too sticky, try adding a tablespoon or two of flour.
  • Once it looks like a dough, remove it from the heat and then knead in some flour until you get a good consistency.

Notes

Store the playdough in an airtight container.

Make sure you store this in an air-tight container so it will last longer! Hope you will try this recipe out and let me know how you like it!

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  • Root Beer PlaydoughRoot Beer Playdough
  • Kool Aid PlaydoughKool Aid Playdough
  • Christmas Play Dough: The Easiest Recipe!Christmas Play Dough: The Easiest Recipe!

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Filed Under: Sensory Play Tagged With: invitation to play, playdough, recipe

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  1. mim says

    December 10, 2022 at 12:14 pm

    Hi, I love this recipe,,, I have been using it for many years.
    What can I use instead of baby oil. I don’t have any on hand at the moment

    Thanks You

    Reply
    • Angela Thayer says

      December 11, 2022 at 1:40 pm

      You could try vegetable oil or olive oil. It won’t be quite as soft.

      Reply
  2. Jess says

    June 24, 2022 at 6:48 am

    Does this stay soft for a good while? If I make it a week ahead of when I need it for a group, and wrap it up well, will it be ok?

    Also, can I double/triple/quadruple the batch or would you recommend making in single batches?

    Reply
    • Angela Thayer says

      July 7, 2022 at 6:55 pm

      Yes it does stay soft! I would make it in either a single or double batch.

      Reply
  3. Kristi says

    May 22, 2022 at 10:02 am

    This is my go to recipe for playdough- It’s soft and lasts a long time!! I havent added essential oils yet–But Im about to make another batch…And I think I will add some this time! Thanks so much!

    Reply
  4. Annalisa says

    February 1, 2022 at 9:03 am

    just made some dough for my 3 yr. old granddaughter! Its the second time using your recipe, turned out fabulous! so soft and pliable! Thank You for sharing. … we’ve got yellow (her favorite color), off to make blue and green!!

    Reply
  5. Ashleigh says

    January 3, 2022 at 3:15 am

    Hi, I love this recipe!! I have been using it for many years.
    What can I use instead of baby oil? I don’t have any on hand at the moment

    Thanks
    Ashleigh

    Reply
    • Angela Thayer says

      January 5, 2022 at 12:06 pm

      Thank you! You can also use vegetable oil.

      Reply
  6. tara says

    December 29, 2021 at 12:20 pm

    Hello. I was wondering at what temperature we’re supposed to cook the playdough at?

    Reply
    • Angela Thayer says

      February 15, 2022 at 8:24 pm

      I usually heat it at low to medium heat. I don’t have a specific temperature…sorry!

      Reply
  7. Paola says

    January 22, 2021 at 7:53 am

    This is a great recipe. I am going to try it. Do you find it to be stretchy compared to other recipes you used?

    Reply
    • Angela Thayer says

      January 24, 2021 at 1:38 pm

      Yes it is a bit more stretchy. It’s not like slime, but it’s stretchier for play dough!

      Reply
  8. Christine says

    December 23, 2020 at 7:51 am

    Thanks for this cool recipe! It still leaves a little grease on my hands while playing. Ive tried everything. Any ideas?

    Reply
    • Angela Thayer says

      January 8, 2021 at 2:54 pm

      I’m sorry! I didn’t find the dough to leave grease on my hands, so I’m not sure how to fix that.

      Reply
  9. Chloe says

    July 31, 2020 at 6:33 am

    I love this play dough recipe! I have noticed however that sometimes when I make it the next day it’ll have a coating of fine white powder, as if an ingredient has come to the surface? Can you advise as to what is causing this. I’m baffled as sometimes it doesn’t!

    Reply
    • Angela Thayer says

      July 31, 2020 at 7:26 am

      I honestly have no idea. I’m guessing it’s the baby powder? You should be able to knead the dough to fix this.

      Reply
  10. D&M says

    February 11, 2020 at 7:56 am

    this is THE best play dough recipe i’ve tried yet! so soft 🙂
    & like the idea of adding essential oils for added sensory experience. thank-you for sharing 🙂

    Reply
  11. Lakshmi Priya says

    November 23, 2019 at 3:21 am

    I prepared this play dough, it took me just 5 minutes to make it. My kid enjoyed playing with it. it was super soft

    Reply
  12. Virpal singh says

    April 24, 2019 at 2:28 am

    Unique recipe. .thanks for sharing

    Reply
  13. Jen says

    February 5, 2019 at 11:48 pm

    Anyone know if Oat flour would work okay?

    Reply
    • Angela Thayer says

      February 6, 2019 at 9:00 pm

      Hmm I have no idea! I’m sorry. I’ve never have used oat flour.

      Reply
  14. Ashley says

    March 15, 2018 at 7:27 pm

    will this work if you don’t use the stove?

    Reply
    • Angela Thayer says

      March 16, 2018 at 12:56 pm

      I’m sorry, but I don’t think it will. Cooking it on a low temperature helps it gel together into the dough.

      Reply
      • MaryBeth says

        June 2, 2018 at 4:21 pm

        What temperature/timeframe are you using to cook the play doh? I’d like my students to make this with me next week, but the kitchen is a hot commodity at school, so I’d like to send an adult to do the cooking part.

        Reply
  15. Carmen says

    June 7, 2017 at 5:20 am

    Would this keep finger prints? I want to do my babies hand prints so it needs to keep fine details… love the idea!

    Reply
    • Angela Thayer says

      June 8, 2017 at 2:33 am

      Hmm I’ve never tried it for finger prints. Usually play dough works for this type of thing, but may take a while to dry. I’m sorry I’m not much help!

      Reply
    • D&M says

      February 11, 2020 at 7:59 am

      Salt dough works for hand and foot prints 🙂 there are plenty of recipes outthere.

      Reply
  16. Jo says

    May 23, 2017 at 9:22 am

    Hi
    Just wanted to say that this is a fantastic recipe! I use it frequently including for our playgroup. I replace the baby powder with cornflour (I’m in Australia…maybe cornstarch??) and the baby oil with coconut oil. It smells amazing and it’s fine if any small person decides to taste it! We think it’s the best playdough ever!

    We tried the jelly one. It was nice but went mouldy very quickly. This recipe lasts a whole term….8-10 weeks plus.

    Thanks heaps!

    Reply
    • Angela Thayer says

      May 23, 2017 at 2:18 pm

      I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for the tips and suggestions!

      Reply
  17. Rannous says

    April 29, 2017 at 10:18 pm

    Hello,
    If i omit the cream of tartar will the recipe work?can’t find it here in France !

    Reply
    • Angela Thayer says

      May 4, 2017 at 2:07 am

      It should work, but it may not last as long. Usually the cream of tartar helps it not mold.

      Reply
  18. Debbie says

    March 17, 2017 at 2:51 pm

    Thank you – just tried this recipe for my 3 year old this morning and it’s definitely the best one we’ve tried!

    Reply
  19. Stella says

    March 16, 2017 at 1:16 pm

    I am using this for hand exercises for a broken wrist which is just out of plaster. I was told by the physio to buy ‘theraputty’ from the hospital pharmacy. This is graded by colour from soft through to hard but the colour I was told to buy was too stiff for my weak hand and wrist. Not wanting to go back to the hospital to buy a different grade (£7 for a small pot) I checked the web for a soft dough specifically for this purpose and your recipe is perfect for my hand exercises. Very grateful, thanks.

    Reply
    • Angela Thayer says

      March 17, 2017 at 1:24 am

      I’m very happy to hear this!! I wish you a wonderful and speedy recovery!

      Reply
  20. Amanda says

    September 17, 2016 at 9:18 am

    Brilliant! I made some for my Kinders and they loved it! The baby oil has that lovely smell about it, and we went and picked some herbs and used some spices to colour some of it rather than food dyes. Still useable after a few weeks- am hoping it will last, but with fresh herbs, i’m watching it closely!

    Reply
  21. Angela Bishop says

    March 17, 2016 at 8:21 pm

    Thank you so much for the easy to follow recipe. I’m terrible at crafty things and even with using cornstarch it turned out amazing. My kids love it!

    Reply
  22. Charlie says

    February 18, 2016 at 10:30 am

    THank you so much for this recipe! I have made it for a toddler group and they all say they’ve never played with such a soft dough – love it! x

    Reply
  23. Jennie says

    December 8, 2015 at 8:46 pm

    Hey!
    This turned out great for us. I added some sparkles to the mix. So fun!

    Reply
  24. Kate says

    August 23, 2015 at 3:03 pm

    How much play doh does it make? Looking to use this for my class and trying to decide how many batches I need to make.

    Reply
    • Angela Thayer says

      August 24, 2015 at 1:05 am

      The recipe is for 1 batch of playdough (one of the colors in the photo). I would say that would be enough for 2-3 children to play with, depending on how much you want them have! Hope that helps 🙂

      Reply
  25. Yiskah says

    April 27, 2015 at 9:11 pm

    How long does this play dough last? (if kept in ziplocks of course)

    Reply
    • Angela Thayer says

      May 7, 2015 at 6:36 pm

      It should last for at least a month.

      Reply
  26. Angie says

    November 3, 2014 at 1:35 am

    I made this tonight for my preschoolers, and it turned out perfect! It is so soft almost like velvet. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Angela Thayer says

      November 3, 2014 at 1:51 pm

      I’m so happy to hear that! Enjoy!

      Reply
  27. Melissa says

    August 19, 2014 at 1:52 pm

    For those looking for small rollers. You can order them from cricutmachines.com for only 1.00. Great for baking too. I loved looking through your website and all the different ideas. My kids are grown now but I have 5 grandkids that I can still use these ideas with so thanks.

    Reply
    • Pam says

      September 10, 2020 at 8:27 am

      The “small rollers” are called breyers and can be found in art sections/stores as well.

      Reply
  28. Faten says

    June 9, 2014 at 10:29 pm

    Could i use corn starch instead of flour? or half flour and half cornstarch plus the baby powder?

    Reply
    • Angela Thayer says

      June 10, 2014 at 2:46 am

      I have not tried that, but I would think it would work. Good luck!!

      Reply
  29. Ardie B says

    March 10, 2014 at 11:29 pm

    could you replace vegetable oil for the baby oil? my little one loves to sense things with his mouth.

    Reply
    • Angela Thayer says

      March 11, 2014 at 11:35 pm

      Yes you can. Just keep in mind that baby powder in your little one’s mouth wouldn’t be good either. Maybe my jello playdough recipe would be better to try: https://teachingmama.org/how-to-make-jello-playdough/

      Reply
  30. Kara K says

    February 18, 2014 at 5:01 pm

    Angela – where did you get your kiddo sized roller?

    Reply
    • Angela Thayer says

      February 19, 2014 at 7:58 pm

      I believe I got it at Michaels in their cake section. It is for rolling out fondant 🙂

      Reply
      • Kara k says

        February 19, 2014 at 11:14 pm

        Thanks! My mIL has one and we want one too!

        Reply
        • Jenna says

          January 7, 2017 at 3:05 am

          What’s mil🤔

          Reply
          • Angela Thayer says

            January 7, 2017 at 4:51 pm

            Mother In Law 🙂

Trackbacks

  1. Play Dough Sensory Bin Party Favors says:
    May 15, 2020 at 9:11 pm

    […] made the play dough myself…. I used this amazing recipe. Its got a great texture and smells good too! Two months after I made it, the play dough I made it […]

    Reply
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