Get into the holiday spirit with festive scented playdough

Making scented playdough is a wonderful way for little ones to immerse themselves in the sights, sounds and smells of the holiday. Not only does this help get their creativity flowing, it encourages exploration and engagement with all different holiday stories and themes.

How can playdough benefit children’s development?

Playdough is not only a fun activity, but can also offer multiple benefits to support a child’s development:

• Sensory development: Different textures, smells and colours of playdough can enhance sensory development by stimulating the senses.
• Fine motor skills: Moulding, squishing, and rolling the playdough can help strengthen the small hand muscles of a child’s hands and fingers, which are all essential for developing fine motor skills such as writing.
• Creativity and imagination: Playdough gives a blank canvas for a child to create whatever they can imagine, which helps develop their creativity and imagination.
• Problem-solving skills: Using playdough to create shapes, structures and patterns is a great way to develop problem-solving skills, by figuring out how to reach their desired outcomes.
• Language development: Playing with playdough encourages children to describe their creations and what they are doing, this can help develop their language skills and vocabulary.

How to make scented playdough

If you’re looking for an activity that is easy to make and bring maximum fun to the table, playdough is a great option. Here’s a basic recipe to help you out:

Basic playdough recipe

• 250ml all-purpose flour
• 250ml water
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar (can be substituted with vinegar or lemon juice)
• 75ml salt
• 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
• Essential oil or extracts for optional scent
• Food colouring (optional)

Instructions*:

1. Using a large bowl, add the flour, salt and cream of tartar or substitute.
2. In a separate bowl, mix the water, essential oil/extract and optional food colouring.
3. Whilst stirring continuously, gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry.
4. Cook the mixture over a medium heat, stirring regularly until a dough is formed.**
5. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool before kneading the dough until it is smooth.

*To skip this step, you can buy pre-made unscented playdough.
**The cooking should be completed by an adult.

Adding a festive scent

• Peppermint: make a candy cane effect by adding peppermint essential oils and red food colouring.
• Gingerbread: Add a mixture of vanilla extract and cinnamon for a warm and spicy scent.
• Christmas tree: Mix green food colouring with either pine or fir essential oils for a fresh and festive Christmas aroma.

Always ensure that the essential oils you use are safe for everyone using. Some essential oils can cause allergic reactions or may not be suitable for young children, pregnant women, or pets. Always dilute essential oils properly and do your research or  consult with a healthcare professional if you have any concerns.

Christmas themed playdough activities

An invitation to play is a great way to encourage a child to use their imagination, by giving them a starting point, they can then complete the activity in any way they can think of.

These invitations can help a child by expanding their creativity and allows them to explore new ways to express themselves. Here are some great Christmas themed play activities:

• Build a snowman: Use white playdough and accessories like twigs and small scarves to create a snowman.
• Gingerbread ornaments: Use gingerbread shaped biscuit cutters and then decorate.
• Christmas tree: Use festive shaped cutters and then decorate with festive shaped cutters and then decorate with organic materials like cinnamon sticks, dried orange slices and cut shapes from paper or magazines

The benefits of encouraging your child to use playdough includes sensory development, fine motor skills use, supports their creativity and imagination, their problem-solving skills and language development.

This easy to create, make at home activity is great for encouraging children to use their imagine, but lasting memories along the way can also highlight the different ways that people celebrate the season.

We would love to see your own playdough experiences and creations! Please tag us on social media!