Affiliate and Referral links are used below to promote products I love and recommend. I receive a commission on any purchases made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details.
Over the winter, one of my most popular posts is my winter 2-ingredient no-cook play dough recipe. It has been a while since I made play dough this way, so I decided to do a fun Valentine 4-ingredient no-cook play dough version today.
Valentine 4 Ingredient No-Cook Play Dough Notes
A few things to point out before I give you the recipe.
Does NOT Feel Like Regular Play Dough!
This play dough does NOT feel like regular play dough. It is a little sticker at times and can also be a little crumblier. If this is not what you are looking for, I have another no-cook recipe with flour that may be more to your liking.
Click here for my flour-based no-cook play dough recipe (you could easily make this into a Valentine-themed dough).
The reason I like this play dough is it’s SO easy to put together, with just 4 ingredients. The texture is super soft and I liked it for my winter theme since the corn starch makes it very white.
Food Coloring May Stain
I added food coloring to this option, so you may want to knead it on a cookie sheet that you don’t mind turning slightly pink or red, depending on the color you use. It did stain my counter slightly when I was kneading, so make sure you cover it before kneading if you don’t want that to happen.
You May Need More Than the Measurements State
I am giving approximate measurements for what I used, but you may need to add more corn starch or hair conditioner depending on the consistency of your dough.
You can also try this recipe with different kinds of hair conditioner to find the brand that works best for the consistency you are looking for.
I just used our regular conditioner that we get from Costco. But I found it was a little greasier than I remembered from last time when I just used a cheaper dollar store conditioner. So the type of conditioner you use may affect the consistency.
Have Your Child Play On A Cookie Sheet
I also had my children play with this on a cookie sheet. That just helps to keep the mess contained a little better and also makes sure the table won’t get stained.
Valentine 4-Ingredient No-Cook Play Dough Recipe Ingredients
You will need:
- 1 cup of hair conditioner (just plain, cheap, hair conditioner will work best)
- 2-3 cups corn starch
- 2-3 drops of red or pink food coloring (I used gel food coloring)
- 5-6 drops of essential oil for scent (this is completely optional)
You will also need:
- Mixing bowl
- Spoon or spatula
- Measuring cup
- Cookie sheet
- Play dough toys, miniature animals, glass beads etc.
Directions:
- Add 1 cup of hair conditioner to your mixing bowl.
- Add 2-3 drops of food coloring to the conditioner and mix thoroughly
- Add 5-6 drops of essential oil of your choice and mix
- Add 1 cup of corn starch to the conditioner and mix with your spoon.
- Keep adding 1/2 cup of corn starch at a time until you are able to form a soft, sticky ball with the dough.
- Take the dough out of your bowl and knead by hand on the counter (or cookie sheet to avoid staining your counter).
- Add cornstarch as needed to get the consistency you are looking for.
- To store the play dough after playing, mix together into a ball and place it in a plastic storage container or a plastic bag, and store it at room temperature.
Here is a video so you can see the process and the consistency I ended up with.
My kids enjoy playing with their miniature animals in the dough, along with red glass beads. You could add more Valentine themed objects for them to play with if you want to really stick to the Valentine theme.
Free 5 Sensory Play Recipes Ebook
For more sensory play ideas, like this one, grab my Free 5 Sensory Play Recipes ebook below.
Enter your email address in the box below and click the “click here” button. You will then be directed to a success page and a special offer I have just for you (this is optional).
Head to your email inbox and look for an email from Heather at Growing Hands-On Kids and your download will be in that email. Click the green button in that email to confirm and download your free printable.
Once you have downloaded it, head to your “downloads” folder or wherever you have downloads stored on your computer and open and print it. It does help to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed and updated to the latest version for the best printable experience.
You’ll receive weekly child development tips, tools, and strategies from me, as well as weekly Friday Freebie emails. You can unsubscribe from these at any time.
If you are a returning subscriber, thanks for coming back! Don’t worry, you won’t be subscribed twice. By entering your email again, it just lets my email provider know which printable to send you.
For more ideas like this one, check out the resources below.
Leave a Reply