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Sensory play is exciting!
It’s also necessary for development because under all that fun, wonder, and excitement there is so much learning and exploration taking place. By engaging the senses through play children develop cognitive, social, and emotional skills.
Today I’m sharing the recipe for (Birthday Cake) Cloud Dough which can be created using only two ingredients: flour and baby oil. It smells amazing and is so soft!
What you’ll need:
Cloud Dough
- 6 cups flour
- 2 cups baby oil (approximately)
Pour the flour and baby oil together in a container and mix. That’s it! I used our Inspire My Play Sensory PlayTray and mixed with my hands to get it all incorporated together.
I turned mine into a Birthday Cake theme for my eldest’s birthday and added about a TBSP of vanilla extract.
To add to the birthday theme, I added silicone cupcake liners, measuring cups and spoons, a small whisk, candles, faux sprinkles, and little gems and trinkets.
Disclaimer: not a taste-safe option for sensory play, due to the oil and raw flour. Sensory play should always be closely monitored.
My kids and I had so much fun creating cupcakes to share with one another and decorating them as if we were cake decorators, blowing out candles, and making wishes.
Although we were playing, we were also stimulating our tactile senses and enhancing fine motor skills. This play will help them to develop a deeper understanding of textures, shapes, and how things work as well as using our imagination, creativity, and language skills.
It can get messy, so I suggest playing outside or with a drop cloth under your play space. Thankfully it does easily wash off hands and clothing.
Want other ways to play with your Cloud Dough? Try elevating your play by:
- Adding food coloring or natural dyes to create a range of colors.
- Use it to write letters, numbers, or words with your fingers.
- Pretend it’s sand and build sand castles.
- Hide small toy figurines inside to find, like a scavenger hunt.