December Eco-Activity: Homemade Playdough with Natural Dyes
December is the perfect month to slow down, cozy up, and create together indoors—and one of our favorite eco-friendly activities is making homemade playdough! It’s simple, affordable, and uses ingredients you likely already have at home. Plus, when you color your dough with natural ingredients, you skip the chemicals and turn playtime into a science experiment too.
This is the same recipe we use for our Gift of Play—our unwrappable gift card package—using turmeric and cabbage to make beautiful, vibrant colors that are fun for kids and eco-friendly too.
We recommend cooked playdough for the softest texture and longest-lasting dough—but we’ve included a no-cook version below if you’d rather keep things extra simple.
🫙 Cooked Homemade Playdough (Best Texture + Long-Lasting!)
This version makes soft, stretchy dough that stores well and feels amazing in little hands.
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
2 tablespoons cream of tartar (don’t skip this!)
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1½–2 cups water (or natural dye liquid—see below!)
Instructions:
In a pot, whisk together the flour, salt, and cream of tartar.
Add oil and water (or natural dye liquid).
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly.
When the dough thickens and pulls away from the sides, remove from heat.
Let cool slightly, then knead until smooth and stretchy.
Store in an airtight container or bag to keep it fresh.
🌿 Natural Dyes for Playdough
Skip artificial coloring and use what you already have in your kitchen! Natural dyes give beautiful soft tones and invite kids to explore where color comes from. Thanks to the folks at the Imagination Tree for the inspo!
Yellow — Turmeric
Add turmeric powder directly to your water and whisk before mixing into dough.
This gives a warm golden-yellow color (and smells delicious!). Be a little careful when playing with this one, the yellow color can transfer to white surfaces.
Purple — Purple Cabbage
Chop cabbage and simmer in water for about 10–15 minutes.
Strain and use this purple water as your liquid in the recipe for the strongest color.
Pink — Beets
Boil chopped beets in water, strain, and use the dyed water in your dough.
Brown — Coffee or Cocoa
Use strong brewed coffee or add cocoa powder to your mix.
Green — Matcha Powder
Add matcha powder directly to dough or dissolve it into warm water first for even color.
Blue — Blueberries
Simmer, mash, and strain for a natural blue-purple tone.
Each batch will look slightly different—and that’s part of the magic!
⛄❄️Holiday Gingerbread Playdough (Scented Sensory Version!)
This cozy version smells like winter baking and makes a perfect seasonal sensory activity.
Add to the cooked playdough recipe above:
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
½–1 teaspoon ginger (optional)
A dash of nutmeg or clove (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Brown coloring: cocoa powder, coffee, or both
Directions:
Add spices with dry ingredients and vanilla with wet ingredients before cooking.
Knead well to blend the scent evenly.
Add cookie cutters, rolling pins, pinecones, or cinnamon sticks to create a “bakery” or pretend kitchen.
👩🍳 No-Cook Playdough (Kid-Friendly Version!)
Perfect for when little ones want to do everything themselves.
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons oil
Natural dye or food coloring
Instructions:
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Knead until smooth.
Add more flour if too sticky, or a splash of water if too dry.
This dough is a little less stretchable than cooked dough but still great for play!
🎨 Play Ideas to Try
Once your dough is ready, the fun begins:
Roll and cut shapes with cookie cutters
Build animals, rainbows, or silly monsters
Practice letters and numbers using dough ropes
Mix colors and observe what happens
Let kids experiment—no “right” way needed!
Making playdough together is about more than play. It’s a moment to connect, explore, and create—while also teaching kids about sustainability, science, and creativity in a hands-on way.
Here’s to cozy counters, messy hands, and joyful winter play!
