Easy to make using cheap, household ingredients, this scented play dough is sure to guarantee hours of fun!

Before you begin, it is important to note that not all extract oils are culinary grade. Research beforehand and consult with a healthcare professional about any allergies as well.

Supplies:

  • 2.5 cups flour
  • 1 cup salt
  • 3/4 cup warm water
  • 1.5 tbsp vegetable oil
  • Food coloring
  • Culinary extract oils (We used peppermint, but have fun and try lemon, orange, vanilla, etc. Just make sure it is culinary grade).

Instructions:

  1. Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl.
  2. Set aside three separate bowls, or enough for each color/scent combination you would like to make. They should be large enough to hold at least two cups of play dough. Add ¼cup of water to each.
  3. Add food coloring to each of the bowls. I did: 5 red drops and 5 blue drops for purple/lavender dough, 3 drops of red and 7 drops of yellow for orange dough, 10 drops of blue for blue/peppermint dough.
  4. Add ½ tbsp of the vegetable oil to each bowl. When choosing an oil, try to go with an unscented oil such as sunflower oil.
  5. Add 2-4 drops of essential oil to each bowl. Start with 2 drops and add more if you would like to make the scent stronger. Keep in mind, little noses can easily be overpowered by scents so less is better in my books. Stir your oil and color mixture together.
  6. Add one cup of the flour and salt mixture to each bowl. Stir until thoroughly mixed and then dust the countertop with more of the remaining mixture. Knead the dough until it has a soft texture perfect for playing. If you feel like you need to soften the mixture a bit, add a smidge of water. If it is too soft and sticky, add more flour/salt to firm it up.
  7. Package your dough in a jar with a tight seal and store it in the fridge when not in use.