Thermomix Playdough - Sensory Play

Thermomix playdough is a childhood favourite. Cheap and easy to make. Now you can take your playdough fun to the next level by adding essential oils. 

Once upon a time, I used to make play-dough almost weekly. With 5 children homemade dough was so much more affordable than buying the tiny commercially prepared pots, so over the years, I got quite good at making delicious smelly variations and special glitter dough to keep the kids amused.

I started using lavender essential oil when I had my eldest boy, 24 years ago. He was NOT a settled child. He was an absolute screamer!! When he was a baby I used to buy almond oil and add a few drops of lavender to the bottle. Then I would use the mixture as a massage oil. He hated it at first but the calming aroma and the touch eventually settled him.

As he grew I started adding lavender oil to his bathtime for a more relaxing bath and then to his "blanky" for sleep time. Eventually, the lavender oil also found its way into playtime.

Adding essential oils to playdough adds another sensory experience to play. Fine motors skills are employed to shape the playdough. The creative brain is being utilised, as is the sense of touch, sight, and smell. 

Stovetop Essential Oil Playdough Recipe

• 1 cup water
• 1 TBS vegetable oil
• food colouring
• 2 TBS Glitter *if using
• ¼ cup salt
• 1 ¼ cups flour
• 2 tablespoon cream of tartar
• ¼ teaspoon lavender essential oil

1. Place the water, vegetable oil, food colouring in a saucepan. Heat until just below boiling.
2. Remove from the heat and add salt, flour and cream of tartar.
3. Stir the mixture until it becomes a ball of dough.
4. Turn the playdough onto a plate and flatten.
5. Once cooled enough to handle, add a few drops of lavender essential oil to the dough and kneed.

Why use Cream of Tartar in Playdough?

Cream of tartar adds elasticity to the playdough. If you omit this ingredient your playdough will be more crumbly and dry and won't have the same "softness". The two tablespoons of cream of tartar will yield a firm but springy dough.

Which Essential Oil is best?

I use the DoTerra range of essential oil because they're pure essential oils and non-toxic. This is particularly important for use with children as they have sensitive skin and are prone to putting things in their mouth.

Whilst my favourite oil is lavender for the calming effect it has on both myself and the children there are other oils that are well suited to playdough.

• lavender
• wild orange
• peppermint

I like to match the colour of the food colouring to the essential oil. 

Lavender = Purple

Wild Orange = Orange

Peppermint = Green

Thermomix Playdough Storage

Your Thermomix playdough can be stored in a  zip-lock bag or airtight container and it will usually last several weeks at room temperature. Lavender oil has antibacterial qualities, so the addition of essential oil will also help keep it safe to use.

Step by Step Thermomix Playdough

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