by Jean Van't Hul
February 21, 2024
823 Shares
Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
Here’s how to make playdough for kids with the BEST recipe for no cook playdough using the hot water method.
Updated January 2024
You know how much we love homemade playdough here at the Artful Parent.
Homemade playdough is awesome. It’s easy and cheap to make, the texture is smooth and playdough rubbery and a batch makes a generous amount to play with. And you can totally customize it using whatever colors, glitters and scents your kids like.
Here’s the no cook playdough recipe we like the very best, which uses the hot water method.
![How to Make Playdough for Kids (3) How to Make Playdough for Kids (3)](https://i0.wp.com/artfulparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/how-to-make-playdough-pinterest-683x1024.png)
How to Make Playdough
![How to Make Playdough for Kids (4) How to Make Playdough for Kids (4)](https://i0.wp.com/artfulparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/affiliate-links-2-4.png)
MATERIALS
- Flour
- Salt
- Cream of tartar
- Oil
- Liquid watercolors(or food coloring)
- Water
Note: candy food coloring (oil based) works really well for vibrantly colored playdough, but it stains, so be sure to wear gloves and cover your work surface!
INSTRUCTIONS
- Mix dry playdough ingredients
In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
- Add wet ingredients
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the oil and food coloring. Then pour in the boiling water and mix.
- Knead until the dough comes together
Let the mixture sit for a few minutes and then once it’s cool enough to hold, knead the dough until it comes together.
Note: It will look like a goopy mess, and you’ll think that you’re going to have to add a lot of flour to make it work. Just let it sit for a few minutes. It will firm up and work perfectly.
- Play!
Once your playdough is ready, it’s time to play!
Pro Tips: We’ve made this no cook playdough recipe enough times to learn some tips that will ensure it comes out with the perfect texture!
- Be sure to use a metal bowl or pot.
- Keep the water boiling and piping hot when making this recipe.
These two tricks will ensure your playdough “cooks” and will help achieve a texture that is just right for playing!
Here’s a video showing you how to make this playdough.
See? Wasn’t that easy? Now, here’s the recipe.
No Cook Recipe for Playdough
No Cook Recipe for Playdough
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.5 from 2 reviews
- Author: Jean Van’t Hul
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Art Recipe
Description
This is great homemade playdough recipe to make with simple kitchen ingredients and the best part is that there is no stove-top cooking involved so the kids can help mix up their own batch!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup salt
- 2 Tbsp cream of tartar
- 2 Tbsp oil
- Liquid watercolors
(or food coloring)
- 2 cups boiling water
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Make a well in the center and add oil and coloring.
- Pour in boiling water and mix.
- It will look like a goopy mess and you’re going to be sure that you’re going to have to add a lot of flour to make it work. Just let it sit for a few minutes. It will firm up and work perfectly.
- Take the dough out of the bowl and knead it a bit to form a ball.
- Play!
Notes
This playdough will keep for a few months if stored in an airtight container or plastic bag in between use.
How Do Our Different Homemade Recipes Compare?
After making both playdough recipes many times, our staff has votes for both.
Cooked Recipe for Playdough
Shelf life: The cooked playdough recipe we make lasts for months. The no-cook batches tend to get moist after a month or two.
It’s forgiving: Cooked playdough can be left out, uncovered, for hours, with little or no lasting effect. No cook playdough starts getting a dry and crumbly coating if left out for any length of time.
Better texture: The cooked playdough has a lovely, rubbery, squishy texture and it holds together better. Most of the no cook playdoughs are soft but pull apart quickly and you end up with more crumbs and bits of playdough all over.
However, as much as we love the cooked recipe, we admit that there are definitely times and reasons to consider making no cook as well.
![How to Make Playdough for Kids (11) How to Make Playdough for Kids (11)](https://i0.wp.com/artfulparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Rainbow-of-no-cook-playdough.jpg)
No-Cook Recipe for Playdough
For a quick, easy recipe that kids can help make, no-cook is the way to go. It won’t last as long as the cooked recipe though.
More kid-friendly to make: If you want your kids (or students) to be more involved in all steps of making, then no cook is the way to go since there is no hot stove to deal with. If making the kind with boiling water, an adult can boil and pour the water, but children can help with the rest.
It’s quicker and easier: This one is a bit quicker and easier to make. Mostly just dump and mix.
Expendable: If you plan to use it for a specific purpose, such as a baking soda volcano or a kitchen table forest, then by all means whip up a quick batch of this kind.
![How to Make Playdough for Kids (12) How to Make Playdough for Kids (12)](https://i0.wp.com/artfulparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/playdough-and-poke-ins-1024x768.png)
People Also Ask
- How do you make no–cook playdough? Follow our recipe above to create the best batch! It’s easy and a great opportunity for your kids to join in the action!
- Can you make it without boiling water? We find that boiling water is necessary for getting the texture just right. If you’d rather not use boiling water, check out our cooked recipe for playdough.
More Playdough Ideas for Kids
- How to Set Up a Play Tray
- The Best Playdough Activities for Kids
- How to Use LEGOs to Make Pictures in Playdough
- The BEST Cooked Recipe for Playdough
- Our Favorite Play Ideas for Kids’ Everyday Creativity
- 3 Homemade Playdough Recipes for Kids
Want even more Sensory Exploration fun?
Check out our Sensory Creativity Pack!
This 30-page printable eBook is stuffed full of sensory play fun! An ultimate guide to sensory play, complete with our favorite recipes and tips for success!
SHOP NOW
![How to Make Playdough for Kids (13) How to Make Playdough for Kids (13)](https://i0.wp.com/artfulparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Copy-of-WooCommerce-Images.png)
![How to Make Playdough for Kids (14) How to Make Playdough for Kids (14)](https://i0.wp.com/artfulparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/how-to-make-playdough-pin.png)
![How to Make Playdough for Kids (15) How to Make Playdough for Kids (15)](https://i0.wp.com/artfulparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/4.png)
Related Posts
Hearts and Lace Prints in Playdough
I've had playdough lace prints on my mind for a while now.Years, in fact.I'd seen…
How to Use LEGOs to Make Pictures in Playdough
Creating pictures in playdough is a great sensory art activity for kids of all ages.…
33 Ideas with Playdough for Kids
A round up of 39 ways for kids to play and learn with playdough, including…
Playdough Fun with Mandalas, Earth Balls, and Color Mixing
Lots of playdough fun for kids, including printing playdough mandalas, making the layers of the…
3 Homemade Playdough Recipes for Kids
Choose from three homemade playdough recipes: easy recipe for no cook playdough, the best cooked…
How to Make Edible Playdough for Kids
Here's how to make an edible play doh recipe with peanut butter for kids plus…
- Sensory Experience
Jean Van't Hul
Children's Art Enabler, Mother of Two, Lover of Cherry Pie and Nature
SEE AUTHOR'S POST
PrevPREVIOUS POSTHow to Make Tissue Paper Snowflakes
NEXT POST12 Flower Crafts for KidsNext
5 Responses
This is the best no cook playdough recipe I have used. I love how easy it is to make, and the kids love helping. The texture is great, and it is lasting a long time. Thank you for sharing!
Substitute for cream of tartar??
This playdough recipe came out PERFECTLY!! The best part is, it required no cooking as most recipes do, so we could make it in our classroom to enjoy! My pre-k class played with it for hours! Thank you Artful Parent!!!!
Our go-to for quick, easy playdough!
That’s wonderful, Gabrielle! Makes me smile just thinking about your happy preschool class. 🙂
FREE EBOOK!
Subscribe to get your free copy of the 10 BEST Kids Art Ideas eBook!
![How to Make Playdough for Kids (25) How to Make Playdough for Kids (25)](https://i0.wp.com/artfulparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/10-Best-Kids-Art-Ideas.jpg)
MOST VIEWED POSTS
Parent Resources
How to Make a Vision Board That Works in 9 Simple Steps
Painting for Kids
How to Make Raised Salt Paintings
Kids Arts and Crafts Activities
The Best Art Ideas for 2024
Creative Play for Kids
How to Make Homemade Bubbles
![How to Make Playdough for Kids (31) How to Make Playdough for Kids (31)](https://i0.wp.com/artfulparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/blow-painting-featured-image.png)
Watercolor techniques
How to Do Blow Painting with Straws
Printmaking for kids
6 Easy Paper Marbling Techniques
Parent Resources
The Best Art Supplies for 2024
Creative Family Living
The Benefits of Arts for Kids
Sensory Play for Kids
How to Make Aquafaba