Fall Themed Homemade Play Dough (Cooked Method)

Even though winter is just around the corner, it’s never too late to make some fall scented play dough! Adding scents to the play dough adds another great sensory element and nothing smells greater than pumpkin pie, cinnamon, and vanilla!

Unlike our last play dough recipe which used hot water, this play dough method requires a stove. However, both recipes are exactly the same. You can use whatever method you prefer, but I find that the cooked method makes softer play dough.

In a medium sized pot, add in and mix:

2 cups flour
1 cup salt
2 tbsp cream of tartar

Then add in:

1 cup water
2 tbsp oil

Once all your ingredients are combined, turn on your stove to medium-low heat and mix until the dough forms a ball. Add more flour or oil as needed. After its formed, place it on the countertop and let it cool.

Once cooled, you can add your scents and desired coloring. Divide the dough into as many scents you want.

For pumpkin pie scented play dough add:

10-15 drops orange food coloring
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

For apple-cinnamon scented play dough add:

10-15 drops red food coloring
2 tsp cinnamon

For vanilla-scented play dough add:

10-15 drops brown food coloring
1 tbsp vanilla extract

And voilà! You have wonderfully scented play dough and a fun and engaging activity!

This activity corresponds with the following DRDP measures:

PD-HLTH 4: Fine Motor Manipulative Skills

Child demonstrates increasing precision, strength, coordination, and efficiency when using muscles of the hand for play and functional tasks

VPA 1: Visual Art

Child engages, develops skills, and expresses self with increasing creativity, complexity, and depth through two-dimensional and three-dimensional visual art