I shared this recipe for DIY essential oil play dough on my Instagram recently and immediately had lots of messages and comments asking for a blog post! If you are stuck inside for the foreseeable future like we are, this is a great activity to keep young minds occupied with the benefits of aromatherapy from the essential oils. If you like the idea of DIY essential oil play dough but don’t love the DIY part, you can always purchase this from my Etsy shop HERE.
Ingredients
-1 cup water
-1 cup flour
-1/2 cup salt
-2 tsp cream of tartar (in the spice aisle!)
-1 tbsp oil (coconut is best, but olive and vegetable work too)
-food coloring (optional)
-essential oils (optional)
Directions
- In a pot on medium low heat, whisk together the water, oil, and cream of tartar.
- Slowly add the salt and whisk thoroughly.
- Add the flour and whisk until combined.
- Continue mixing while the dough slowly forms, about 5 minutes. When you have a play dough consistency, remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Once cooled, divide the dough into smaller portions and use food coloring to make different colors.
- Lastly, add 2-3 drops of essential oils of your choice!
My Favorite Oils for Play Dough
You can use lots of different oils in play dough, but here are some of my favorites!
-Lavender
-Orange
-Thieves
-Lemon
-Lime
-Grapefruit
-Peace and Calming
-Stress Away
-Cedarwood
-Bergamot
-Spearmint
Essential Oils to AVOID
Some oils can cause reactions on sensitive skin and should be avoided in play dough. I recommend staying away from Peppermint, Wintergreen, Raven, and anything else with a child proof cap.
With the last batch we made we added some glitter and my girls absolutely LOVED IT! This play dough combined with small rolling pins and cookie cutters will keep them occupied for hours, and it makes a great stress relief tool for moms too! Hope you liked this tutorial, make sure to comment or tag me on Instagram if you end up making it!
For more info on essential oils and different ways to use them, check out my page HERE!