Lemon Cloud Dough Sensory Play Recipe
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This Lemon cloud dough recipe is a fun way to explore sensory play with a child in your life. Kids will love squeezing and squishing this dough. And it's great for fine motor practice!
Lemon Cloud Dough Recipe
Supplies:
2 cups cornstarch
1 cup white conditioner
Yellow food coloring
Mixing bowl
Spoon
Plastic mat
Optional:
Lemon-scented oil for slime (2-4 drops)
Directions:
Add the cornstarch to the mixing bowl.
Pour in the conditioner.
Mix well until combined. The outcome of the dough should be a smooth, soft, and silky texture and not sticky. If you get a mixture that is too sticky, add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to the mixture and mix well. Continue this step until you get the desired texture.
Add 10-20 drops of yellow food coloring and mix well until you get an even yellow color to the dough. Add the desired amount of the lemon-scented oil for slime.
Remove the dough from the bowl and shape it into a ball, using the plastic mat to protect your workspace.
Add the lemon buttons to the dough.
Now it's time to play!
You can include other play dough tools and toys along with the cloud dough mixture and lemon buttons.
How long does cloud dough last?
Cloud dough does not keep as long as regular play dough because the conditioner will start to dry out in the mixture.
In order to keep your cloud dough lasting for more than a week or so, keep it in an airtight container with the mixture wrapped in a damp cloth or plastic wrap to keep the air out.
You can keep it on the countertop if you are using it daily, or keep it in the refrigerator.
Benefits of Sensory Play
You'll often see cloud dough described as sensory play. You might be wondering what sensory play is and why is it important.
In short, sensory play involves anything that engages the 8 senses during play. Children, especially those in the 0-5 age range explore the world around them through play and using their sensory systems.
Sensory play can have many benefits for physical development, language development, cognitive skills, social and emotional skills, creative development, and of course sensory input.
You can read more about the importance of messy or sensory play in my post here.
Lemon Cloud Dough Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Plastic mat
- Lemon resin flatback buttons
Materials
- 2 cups cornstarch
- 1 cup white hair conditioner
- 2-4 drops Lemon-scented oil for slime
Instructions
- Add the cornstarch to the mixing bowl.
- Pour in the conditioner.
- Mix well until combined. The outcome of the dough should be a smooth, soft, and silky texture and not sticky. If you get a mixture that is too sticky, add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to the mixture and mix well. Continue this step until you get the desired texture.
- Add 10-20 drops of yellow food coloring and mix well until you get an even yellow color to the dough. Add the desired amount of the lemon-scented oil for slime.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and shape it into a ball, using the plastic mat to protect your workspace.
- Add the lemon buttons to the dough.
- Now it's time to play!
Video
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Heather Greutman, COTA
Heather Greutman is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant with experience in school-based OT services for preschool through high school. She uses her background to share child development tips, tools, and strategies for parents, educators, and therapists. She is the author of many ebooks including The Basics of Fine Motor Skills, and Basics of Pre-Writing Skills, and co-author of Sensory Processing Explained: A Handbook for Parents and Educators.