We have made a LOT of playdough over the years and this is our favorite no-cook playdough recipe consisting of cornstarch and conditioner. This simple 2 ingredient playdough recipe great for kids of all ages. Whip up a quick and easy batch of homemade play dough in less than 5 minutes. The reason we love it so much is that it has this amazing soft and silky texture like no other homemade playdough around!

text: softest play dough -Kids Activities Blog - image of finished 2 ingredient homemade playdough recipe with four balls of playdough on wooden background in colors of yellow, pink, blue and green
Let’s make the absolutely softest play dough recipe ever!

Best No Bake Playdough Recipe: cornstarch & conditioner

My kids love a fresh batch of homemade playdough. This is the EASIEST play dough recipe because it is no cook play dough.  Making this play dough only uses two ingredients and about 5 minutes: cornstarch and conditioner. My kids love to mold and create with homemade play dough for hours.

Related: Traditional playdough recipe has been shared over 100K times

A bonus with this homemade playdough recipe is that after playing with the silky play dough, your hands will feel like they just had a spa treatment. Did we mention this is our favorite no cook playdough recipe?

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Ingredients Needed to Make Playdough

Watch Our Easy Playdough Recipe Tutorial Video with cornstarch and conditioner

Directions To Make Cornstarch Play Dough Recipe

Steps to make super soft play dough recipe in a collage: step 1 - add ingredients together, step 2 - mix and then knead, step 3 - add color or glitter - Kids Activities Blog
These are the simple steps to making your own playdough recipe!

Step 1

Mix 2 parts cornstarch with 1 part hair conditioner in a bowl.

Step 2

Stir with a spoon then dump onto flat surface and knead with hands until combined fully.

(Optional) Step 3

If you want colored playdough, then add drops of food coloring. Keep adding food coloring until you have achieved the desired play dough color.

Playdough making tip: We have found that adding the food coloring at this stage is the easiest. You can add it in step 2, but it can be controlled so much easier in this step.

finished homemade playdough recipe shown on a wooden background with the text, 2 ingredient play dough - Kids Activities Blog
This homemade playdough is the softest around!

Finished No Cook Playdough Recipe

Your playdough is now ready for play!

Safety Information: This is playdough recipe is NOT taste-safe and should not be used with younger kids who are still putting things into their mouths. Check out our favorite Edible playdough recipes.

Storing Your Homemade Conditioner Play Dough

Because this no cook playdough recipe’s primary ingredient is conditioner, it tends to last a little longer than food-based playdoughs. After play, store your playdough in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. If the playdough consistency changes during storage, then follow directions below to fix your homemade playdough!

How to Fix Your Cornstarch Playdough Texture

Since not all hair conditioners are the same consistency, you may need to alter the amounts just a bit so it is dough consistency:

  • Play dough consistency is not soft enough: Add additional hair conditioner at any step to adjust the softness.
  • Play dough consistency is too soft: Add some additional cornstarch and knead into dough.
Yield: 1 batch

No Cook Play Dough Recipe

Great Play dough recipe makes fun gift idea for kids {No cook playdough}

This super simple 2 ingredient homemade playdough recipe is the easiest and softest we have ever made. Combine the two ingredients quickly and get playing within minutes! And because it is a no cook play dough recipe, kids can help!

Active Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Difficulty easy
Estimated Cost $1

Materials

  • 1 part Hair Conditioner
  • 2 parts Corn Starch
  • (Optional 3rd ingredient) Food Coloring or Food Dye or even glitter

Tools

  • bowl
  • spoon or something to stir

Instructions

  1. Add 2 parts cornstarch to 1 part hair conditioner in a medium bowl.
  2. Stir until combined.
  3. Knead with hands.
  4. If desired, add food coloring.

Cloud Dough Playdough Recipe

Think of this as a mix between playdough and cloud dough.   It is light and airy like cloud dough, but molds better as the conditioner helps the cornstarch become more pliable.  

Related: Toddler Safe Cloud Dough Recipe

More Play Recipes with Corn Starch

Homemade Playdough Gift Idea

We made our Silky Play Dough as a gift for a friend. We packaged the play dough up with glitter, a couple of play dough toys (rolling pin, cookie cutters, sequins, etc) and cupcake liners.  

If your gift recipient may not be able to play with it immediately, then you can create a cute make-your-own-play-dough kit that has the two ingredients packaged separately with a printable instructions card and an airtight container for storage.

the best recipes for play(text) - collage of different playdough recipes and ways to use playdough
Let’s make our own Fun Play Recipes!

More Playdough Recipes from Kids Activities Blog

How did your soft no cook playdough recipe turn out? Is it the softest playdough you have ever made?



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