Kids love to knead and make things with clay and play dough. Even toddlers can explore the handmade play dough recipes below!
I’ve always been interested in working with clay, and my kids inherited that interest, namely because I started them with things to make with play dough when they were very young.
This page is full of kids' clay crafts and cute things to make with play dough. There are excellent project ideas and many, many homemade dough and clay recipes that can be used with children.
If you are looking for free recipes to make play dough and clay, look no further!
DIY Play dough and clay recipes
- Two-ingredient homemade play dough: The quickest and easiest, no-cook recipe
- Bouncing Play Dough: Enjoy an experiment with dough that bounces
- Kool Aid Play Dough: Super-smelling dough to enhance the play experience
- Baker’s Clay: Also known as salt dough in which the finished project is baked
- Modeling Clay: Several variations below
- Cream of Tartar Play Dough: Made on the stove-top and softest playdough ever
- Lint Clay: Unique clay made with dryer lint, glue, dish soap and water
- Polymer Clay: Inexpensive homemade recipe for excellent clay
Some of the recipes suggest adding spices like cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to make the perfect fall play dough.
For many kids and even adults, modeling with clay or play dough is a super sensory experience. By adding a scent to it, the sense of smell is added to the tactile sensory experience.
This can be a very calming activity for kids and adults alike.
What are some easy things to make with clay or play dough?
The possibilities are only limited by the artist’s creativity! Scroll down to see the cute things to make with clay on this page. Some examples include:
- Candy cane earrings
- Clay ball point pens
- Pinch pots
- Ornaments
- Planters
- Beads
- Mid-Century ceramic hand dishes
- Oil-diffuser charms
- Magnets
- And much more!
The recipes and projects to make with play dough or clay that have been collected are extensive. No matter the age, the art of creating cute things with clay and play dough never gets old.
Take a look at our Ceramic and Clay Crafts for Adults page, too!
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Follow these instructions and make 2-ingredient homemade play dough.
Mom vs The Boys
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Over time has your air dry clay become quite hard and stiff! Here is how to soften air dry clay.
Red Ted Art
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Try out this bouncing playdough recipe today and your kids will be bouncing dough around instead of bouncing off the walls themselves.
Darcy and Brian
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These fun Christmas Earrings are so easy to make with just a small amount of oven baked polymer clay.
My Poppet
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Kids can make this ceramic hand dish air-dry clay craft project, to give as a gift to a parent or grandparent.
My Poppet Makes
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Lots of recipes for lots of fun..
Make-Stuff
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These DIY clay Christmas ornaments are kid friendly. For this ornament, you'll be cutting out clay, painting, and stringing. It’s simple for kids or adults.
DIY Candy
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This craft classic is great hands-on fun for young children!
Sophie's World
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These make stunning Autumn decorations, great little projects for kids to make and to gifts. Also, be brilliant for decorating the Thanksgiving table!
Red Ted Art
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Kids can make dad a fun salt dough paperweight for Father's Day.
Crafts by Amanda
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Make lint paper, lint clay or lint paper mache with dryer lint.
Planet Pals
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This project is perfect for summer, Back to School and of course Valentine’s Day!!! Fun to make and gift!
Red Ted Art
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Kids will have fun making gingerbread men with this gingerbread play dough.
Frugal Mom Eh
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This tutorial for How to Make Homemade Playdough is so easy that the kids can make it all on their own!
Easy Budget Recipes
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Make your own polymer clay inexpensively with this recipe.
Etsy New York Team
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Learn how to make mini planters using polymer clay.
My Poppet
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These step-by-step instructions are here to help you make DIY moon dough. It is also called moon sand, cloud dough, or fairy dough.
Lil Tigers
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Kids can learn how to make a paper clay bowl with these 8 steps – pictures included!
Red Ted Art
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Kids can make fun pencil toppers with paper clay and this tutorial.
Red Ted Art
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Pinch pots are really super easy and fun for kids to make.
Red Ted Art
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Here are instructions on how to make a pinched pot.
Free Crafts Unlimited
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Use household ingredients to prepare play dough or molding dough. Hours of fun for kids.
AOK Corral
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These printable Pongal Playdough mats will be the perfect fun activity kids will enjoy.
Lille Ladoo
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10 homemade playdough recipes.
Tipnut
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Kids will love playing with clay in this polymer clay pens project!
DIY Candy
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This homemade Pumpkin Spice Play Dough is a fun activity for kids. Mix up a batch and then make play dough pumpkins.
Frugal Mom Eh
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Made from air-drying terracotta clay, this rainbow charm is the perfect modern holiday ornament but is subtle enough to enjoy all year round.
My Poppet
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Make a cute salt dough handprint ornament using this free tutorial.
Messy Little Monster
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How to make a sunflower clay bowl using these step-by-step instructions.
Red Ted Art
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This DIY Clay charm can be used to fragrance your home, or use as an essential oil car air freshener. Learn how to make it with this tutorial.
My Poppet
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Cornstarch Decorations (or cornflour ornaments for UK readers) couldn’t be simpler to make. Here is a fun kids Christmas Ornament project.
Red Ted Art
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