“Snow Dough” Recipe for Winter Play

Whether you’re snowed indoors or just looking for some fun, white play dough time, this recipe is easy and great to squish while staying warm and cozy.

I use my favorite play dough recipe all the time as a base and play with a variety of colors (like using kale juice to make this lucky green dough).  With the ingredients for this basic recipe, you can make homemade play dough with practically any color any time of year.  Add some pure, kid-safe essential oils and have yourself a therapeutic, sensory activity together!

This general play dough recipe makes a dough similar to a bread or pizza dough…which isn’t perfectly white.  It’s still wonderful though so perfectly fine to just use the ingredients listed in the graphic below.  We are currently snowed inside with 20 inches in Maryland and a full 24 hours left to go of a blizzard, so I added a few special ingredients today.

I added some white, unscented lotion which made the dough a little more white, AND made our hands feel so smooth during/after playtime!  I added a little bit of glitter for looks.

I also added 3 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil because we love the aroma and added focused, uplifting quality.  Peppermint can support healthy digestive, respiratory, and nervous systems, as well as the skin. Technically, the peppermint oil I use is labeled a dietary supplement and is safe to ingest –  although I don’t encourage you to eat this recipe (especially if adding lotion and glitter)!  I feel perfectly safe with touching oils at this ratio and know my three-year old does not put things like this in his mouth anyway.  Always use your best judgment for YOUR family, and treat it more like a science experiment than a cooking adventure.  Vanilla or other extracts may be a lovely option, but may alter the color.

Other excellent essential oils to use for play dough are Lemon, Lavender, Gentle Baby, and Stress Away.  Tons more as well!

Natural Play Dough Recipe – Snow Dough Version

You Will Need:

• 1 cup flour**
• 2 tsp. cream of tartar (find it in the spice section)
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melt to liquid (where I buy it – olive oil will work as well)
• 1/3 cup salt
• 1 cup water
• OPTIONAL: 1-2 teaspoons of a white, unscented lotion, for added color and moisture
• OPTIONAL: glitter for appearance
• OPTIONAL: a few drops of essential oil (I used 3 drops of Peppermint – I use and love these essential oils)

How to Make:

1. Bring water and salt to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, combine flour, cream of tartar, and coconut oil in a large mixing bowl.  Add boiling salt water to dry mixture.
3. Combine safely with a utensil or dough hook until ball forms and it is cool enough to touch.
4. Add the optional lotion, glitter, and essential oils and knead in with your hands until desired effect is achieved. Can use extra flour on your hands if needed.

**For a gluten-free option, replace one cup of flour with 1/2 cup rice flour + 1/2 cup arrowroot (or non-GMO cornstarch)

Then simply grab your cookie cutters, rolling pin, and other dough tools to make some indoor snowballs without the wet, cold, and dry hands!  We store our Snow Dough in a sealed sandwich bag for a few weeks.  Play dough just doesn’t last very long around our home, but I imagine the shelf life of this is a month or two or until the texture/aroma no longer feels “right”.

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