Our Favourite No-cook Playdough Recipe
Laura @inspiremyplay
Founder of @inspiremyplay, Early Years teacher for 11 years and mummy to three gorgeous girls. I'm passionate about about the benefits of play in early childhood.
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Make homemade playdough in just five minutes! This easy no-cook recipe lasts for months and is perfect for sensory play at home or in the classroom.
Playdough has never failed to entertain my children or the children I have taught over the years. It keeps little hands busy and provides so many opportunities for learning.
It’s brilliant for:
Building fine motor skills and hand strength. Creativity and imagination. Sensory exploration and calming play. Therapeutic and language development opportunities.
Unlike traditional stove-top recipes, this no-cook playdough is quick, safe, and perfect for getting children involved from start to finish. It’s now the only way I make playdough!
What you’ll need
- 1 1/2 cups plain flour
- 1/2 cup salt
- 2 tbsp cream of tartar
- 2 tbsp coconut oil (or vegetable oil)
- 1 cup boiling water
- Food colouring
Helpful buying & storing tips
Buy in bulk
If you’re making multiple batches, I recommend bulk-buying cream of tartar. The small packets you find in the supermarket run out quickly and cost more long-term.
Use concentrated food colouring
This gives much brighter, more vibrant playdough colours.
Store properly
Screw-top jars work best for keeping playdough soft for longer. Airtight containers or zip-lock bags also work well.
Use coconut oil (if you can)
Coconut oil is gentler on sensitive skin and gives the playdough a lovely scent. Vegetable or baby oil also works as a substitute.
How to make homemade playdough
Step-by-step method:
1. Combine the flour, salt, cream of tartar and coconut oil in a bowl.
2. Add the food colouring to the boiling water, then carefully pour into the bowl. (Adults should handle this step.)
3. Mix all the ingredients together until it starts to come together as a dough.
4. Once the dough is cool enough to handle, take it out of the bowl and knead well. This is the most important step!
Make rainbow playdough
To create different colours:
- Repeat the recipe using different food colouring each time.
- Make one large batch and divide it before colouring each portion separately.
How to customise your playdough
One of the best things about homemade playdough is how easy it is to personalise.
Try adding:
- Essentials oils to add scent (lavender, lemon, peppermint).
- Natural textures like rose petals or dried lavender.
- Glitter for sparkle play.
- Sand for a more gritty sensory experience.
Sand & chocolate playdough
Sand playdough
Did you know you can also add sand to play dough for extra texture and sensory exploration? Perfect for beach-themed or small-world play. Check out our simple sand play dough recipe here.
Chocolate playdough
Add ½ cup cocoa powder to our original recipe for rich, chocolate-scented dough.
Great for:
- Role play (chocolate shop!)
- Small-world play
- “Soil” for planting artificial flowers
💡Tip: Add a splash more boiling water if the mixture feels too dry.
Playdough tools for sensory play
If you want to take your playdough play further, using the right tools makes a huge difference.
Our soft-touch, silicone Sensory Dough Tool Set is designed for little hands to squish, roll, press and shape playdough, mouldable dough or sensory play materials.
It helps children:
- Build fine motor skills
- Develop hand-eye coordination
- Explore sensory textures
- Extend imaginative play
Available in gorgeous pastel shades, it’s perfect for independent play, group activities or classroom fun!
Pair with our multi-award-winning PlayTRAY
Our homemade playdough recipe and Sensory Dough Tool Set pairs perfectly with our multi-award-winning PlayTRAY, helping contain mess while encouraging focused, creative play.
