Follow the easy steps how to make cloud dough with this easy 2 ingredient cloud dough recipe. This cloud dough is toddler safe because it is made without baby oil or cornstarch. You can color it with a third non-toxic ingredient making it perfect for use in sensory bins or as sensory play.
Best Cloud Dough REcipe for Kids
Cloud dough is so lovely to the touch, kids will love running their hands through the bin of fluffy cloud dough, squeezing and shaping the dough and watching it crumble when they release it back into the bin. I’ll bet you won’t be able to keep your hands out of it either! Of all the homemade dough recipes we use in my daycare, Cloud Dough is one of the kids favorites.
Related: Looking for cornstarch and conditioner cloud dough?
This cloud dough recipe is the best because:
- It uses cooking oil instead of baby oil making it safer for toddlers to play.
- It can be colored or left without coloring.
- It takes less than 5 minutes to make and can be scaled for larger batches easily.
- It uses flour instead of cornstarch.
Ingredients Needed to Make Cloud Dough Toddler Safe
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- 8 cups of flour
- 1 cup Vegetable Oil
- Heaping TBSP non-toxic Tempera Paint Powder
- Potato Masher or Pastry Cutter & Wooden Spoon
Directions To Make Toddler Safe Cloud Dough
Watch Our Video How to Make Cloud Dough
Step 1
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the cup of oil and flour.
Step 2
If you are going to color the cloud dough, add the Tempera paint, give it another stir. You can use different colors, it doesn’t have to be blue like mine.
Step 3
Then using a pastry cutter or potato masher, work the dough for several minutes until the colour is uniform and the ingredients are soft, silky, and well-mixed.
Playing With Homemade Cloud Dough
Transfer your dough to a shallow storage container (a dollar store kitty litter bin works well), and add spoons, scoops, bowls, cookie cutters, and plastic molds.
Kids of all ages will have a blast stirring, mixing, scooping, pouring and molding their cloud dough. Even my older kids have of fun with moon sand.
This cloud dough won’t have that heavenly scent that it would if it were made with baby oil, but it still feels amazing, and your hands will be so soft after playing with it.
You gotta love it when a few simple ingredients provide so much fun and exploration! Plus, this is perfect for any sensory bin or in general, cloud dough makes a great sensory activity.
Why We Made This Cloud Dough Recipe Toddler-Safe
Traditional cloud dough is an amazing sensory substance that’s easy to make with just two ingredients – flour and baby oil.
- As fabulous as it is, I often have parents ask me if cloud dough can be made with alternative ingredients so it’s safe for toddlers who aren’t yet past the stage of putting things in their mouths.
- For this recipe, I’ve swapped out the baby oil with an alternative ingredient, and I’m happy to report that the results were terrific making this an even better cloud dough recipe than the traditional one.
- I found a way to colour it too. I’m just thrilled to share with you our toddler-safe, simpe coloured cloud dough recipe!
How to Store Cloud Dough
Store your cloud dough in an airtight container. The homemade cloud dough or sensory dough, whatever you want to call it will last much longer in an air-tight container.
Toddler-Safe {Coloured} Cloud Dough
Toddler-safe, cloud dough – made without Baby Oil so even the youngest toddlers can enjoy it!
Materials
- 8 cups Flour
- 1 cup Vegetable Oil
- Heaping TBSP non-toxic Tempera Paint Powder
Tools
- Potato Masher or Pastry Cutter
- Wooden Spoon
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together the vegetable oil and flour.
- Add the Tempera paint.
- Give it another stir, then using a pastry cutter or potato masher, work the dough for several minutes until the colour is uniform and the ingredients are soft, silky, and well-mixed.
More Homemade Play dough Recipes From Kids Activities Blog
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- If your child has sensory issues, then you’ll want to check out these 7 symptoms to identify sensory processing disorder.
- I absolutely love making playdough Kool Aid! Or Kool Aid playdough…
- Don’t miss out on these 200+ sensory bin ideas!
- Make an Easy Homemade DIY Moon Sand Recipe
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More toddler advice from kids activities blog
- Find out what to do when your child is scared to use the potty!
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- Learn how to make a DIY crash pad for sensory play…
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Did your toddler love playing with the homemade cloud dough recipe?
I might suggest baking the flour since raw flour can contain harmful pathogens- what do you think?
I did not know that! Thanks for that suggestion. If anyone has any experience with this, please let us know.
Thank you for this easy recipe for cloud dough. What a great way to keep the little guys happy and engaged.
Do you think a gluten free version of this cloud dough recipe would work if I substituted gluten free all purpose flour?
We love cloud dough but have been looking for a safer version when younger friends come to visit. This recipe will be great for that!
I had no idea it was so easy to make cloud dough at home! My boys are going to love this.
I have made cloud dough before with my students, but I like that this recipe doesn’t use baby oil. I can’t wait to try it out.
How long will this recipe last before molding?i