Christmas Play Dough Kit (with Video)

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We are loving homemade play dough kits – after the success of our mermaid play dough kit that we gave out at Ella’s mermaid birthday party, I knew that putting together some Christmas play dough kits for the kids would be a hit!

Homemade Christmas Play Dough Kit - a fun and useful homemade gift for kids, this homemade play dough kit engages fine motor muscles and creativity at the same time! Super easy and cheap to put together if you're making gifts for a large group or party

I love creating homemade play dough kits that offer several ways to play and enjoy the gift. By including open-ended materials that children can imagine and re-use in many different ways, you can facilitate hours of play with a simple kit!

Check out just how easy it is to make these fun Christmas play doughs by watching our quick video and then scroll down to grab the printable recipe:

 

How to make a homemade play dough kit

Materials to Make Your Own Christmas Play Dough Kit

Ingredients for Egg Nog Play Dough

  • Water
  • Vegetable Oil <– you can use melted coconut oil but if it’s cold where you are, it will make the play dough a bit tough at the start of playing (will soften with the heat of hands playing)
  • Flour
  • Salt
  • Cream of Tartar <– I buy the big container or from a bulk store as those little jars are so expensive! A bulk container will last us for months of play dough making – and can also be used for soft sugar cookies, snickerdoodle cookies, etc.
  • Glycerine
  • Rum Extract or Butter Extract
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Nutmeg Extract
  • Cinnamon
  • Ground Cloves

Ingredients for Cranberry Play Dough

  • Water
  • Vegetable Oil
  • Flour
  • Salt
  • Cream of Tartar
  • Cranberry Juice
  • Glycerine
  • Orange extract or zest

Ingredients for Mint Play Dough

  • Water
  • Vegetable Oil
  • Flour
  • Salt
  • Cream of Tartar
  • Glycerine
  • Mint Extract

Ingredients for Gingerbread Play Dough

  • Water
  • Vegetable Oil
  • Flour
  • Salt
  • Cream of Tartar
  • Ground Cinnamon
  • Ground Nutmeg
  • Ground Cloves
  • Ground Ginger

Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.

Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful

  • Kettle
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Cookie cutters
  • Wooden spoon

To add to the play dough kit:

  • Any open-ended mix-ins you have on hand: pipe cleaners, googly eyes, pom poms, coloured rice or barley, etc.
  • Cookie cutters
  • If giving as a gift, include a note with how to make more homemade play dough so the parents can replace the play dough when it is all done – and also, to check for allergens
Homemade Christmas Play Dough Kit - a fun and useful homemade gift for kids, this homemade play dough kit engages fine motor muscles and creativity at the same time! Super easy and cheap to put together if you're making gifts for a large group

How to Make a Christmas Play Dough Kit

Make each play dough in a separate bowl.

Mix the flour, salt, cream of tartar, and spices for each in a large mixing bowl.

Add food colouring and oil to the boiling water then into the dry ingredients. (Note: For the cranberry play dough add the cranberry juice to the boiling water.)

Stir continuously until it becomes a sticky, cohesive dough and then add the glycerine.

Fold the dough out onto a well-floured surface and allow it to cool slightly until your can knead it comfortably. (Don’t burn your hands!)

Knead it vigorously for a couple of minutes until all of the stickiness has gone – this can take up to four minutes, but start adding a bit of extra flour after two minutes if it is still a bit too sticky.

These play dough kits make a great homemade gift, and while I sent one home with each of my daycare kids, I also presented all of the components on a tray (Montessori even with play dough!) for an easy afternoon activity.

I loved watching how the children all interpreted the materials differently and came up with different ways to use them, engaging their creativity and fine motor muscles at the same time.

Untitled design (53)

One child saw the opportunity to develop her pincer grip (essential for holding a pencil) by pushing the pipe cleaner into a mound of play dough, and then worked on her hand strength by rolling it out with a rolling pin.

Untitled design (52)

One child very adeptly identified the gingerbread dough by smelling all of the doughs and calling on his scent memory to figure out what types of doughs were on offer. He then figured out how to use the other mix-ins to decorate his gingerbread man.

Untitled design (48)

And of course, my little chef Ella decided to play bake shop!

There are so many ways to play with this homemade Christmas play dough kit, and my kids just loved them – I hope yours do, too!

Grab your free printable recipe for our homemade Christmas play dough:

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Yield: 12 cups play dough

Christmas Play Dough Kit

Christmas Play Dough Kit

Homemade Christmas Play Dough Kit - a fun and useful homemade gift for kids, this homemade play dough kit engages fine motor muscles and creativity at the same time! Super easy and cheap to put together if you're making gifts for a large group or party

Prep Time 5 minutes
Active Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Difficulty Easy
Estimated Cost $3

Materials

Ingredients for Egg Nog Play Dough

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup salt
  • 2 tablespoons cream of tartar
  • Up to 1.5 cups boiling water (adding in increments until it feels just right)
  • few drops glycerine
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons (rum extract or) butter extract
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon cloves

Ingredients for Cranberry Play Dough

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup salt
  • 2 tablespoons cream of tartar
  • Up to 1 cup boiling water (adding in increments until it feels just right)
  • 1/2 cup cranberry juice
  • few drops glycerine
  • 1 teaspoon orange extract or zest

Ingredients for Mint Play Dough

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup salt
  • 2 tablespoons cream of tartar
  • Up to 1.5 cups boiling water (adding in increments until it feels just right)
  • few drops glycerine
  • 1 teaspoon mint extract

Ingredients for Gingerbread Play Dough

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup salt
  • 2 tablespoons cream of tartar
  • Up to 1.5 cups boiling water (adding in increments until it feels just right)
  • few drops glycerine
  • 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp. ground nutmeg
  • 1 tbsp. ground cloves
  • 1 tbsp. ginger

Tools

  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Kettle
  • Mixing bowl
  • Spatula
  • Cookie Cutters

Instructions

  1. Make each play dough in a separate bowl.
  2. Mix the flour, salt, cream of tartar, and spices for each in a large mixing bowl.
  3. Add food colouring and oil to the boiling water then into the dry ingredients. (Note: For the cranberry play dough add the cranberry juice to the boiling water.)
  4. Stir continuously until it becomes a sticky, cohesive dough and then add the glycerine.
  5. Fold the dough out onto a well-floured surface and allow it to cool slightly until your can knead it comfortably. (Don't burn your hands!)
  6. Knead it vigorously for a couple of minutes until all of the stickiness has gone - this can take up to four minutes, but start adding a bit of extra flour after two minutes if it is still a bit too sticky.

Pin this Project for Later

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Check out these other fun Christmas busy bag ideas from my fellow kids’ activity bloggers:

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18 fun Christmas activities for kids. Math games, fine motor projects, ABC activities... lots of Christmas ideas!

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:
Christmas Tree Counting Fine Motor Activity // Sugar Aunts

Fine Motor and Color Sorting Christmas Trees // Teach Me Mommy

Christmas I Spy Bottle // The Pleasantest Thing

Christmas Tree Counting Number Cards // Modern Preschool

Christmas Playdough Kit // Study At Home Mama

Reusable Pom Pom Christmas Tree Busy Bag // Powerful Mothering

Free Gingerbread CVC Game // The Kindergarten Connection

DIY Christmas Tic Tac Toe // Adventures of Adam

Free Christmas Number Clip Cards // Fairy Poppins

Free Christmas Themed Prewriting Practice Cards // Stay At Home Educator

Felt Christmas Tree Number Match Up // Frogs Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

Christmas Stocking Matching Activity // Play & Learn Everyday

Free Printable Holiday Word Clouds // Lalymom

Christmas Addition to 15 // Liz’s Early Learning Spot

Free Christmas Counting Cards // Playdough to Plato

Christmas Stamp Patterns // Still Playing School

Christmas Tree Decorating Felt Busy Bag // Coffee Cups and Crayons

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