Not only does this play dough smell amazing, it can be used just like the store-bought version to roll out, cut, press, shape, and mold to your heart’s content. All children need a sensory-rich play environment in order to to develop neural pathways and improve hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. And all of that pushing and pulling and pressing is fantastic sensory feedback if your child is struggling with emotional regulation today. In addition, proprioceptive feedback is so important and helps kids with sensory integration struggles understand their place in space and feel safe. This kind of feedback is basically just pressure on the joints, bones, and tendons which is communicated to the brain and helps the brain process position and motion information to improve balance, coordination, and comfort.  So not only is play dough fun play time it’s also powerful occupational therapy from the comfort of your dining room table!

Ingredients for Hot Cocoa Playdough

• 1 cup flour
• 1⁄2 cup salt
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 Tbsp cream of tartar
• 1 cup water
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Supplies Needed to Make Play Dough

• medium saucepan
• spoon or spatula
• parchment paper

How to Make Hot Cocoa Playdough

1. Gather all the ingredients needed.
2. Add the dry ingredients to the saucepan and stir to combine.
3. Add the water and oil to the dry mixture.
4. Place saucepan over medium heat and stir to combine.
5. Stir frequently for 4-5 minutes until it’s pulling away from the sides and a dough ball forms.
6. Take the pan off the heat and place the dough on a piece of parchment paper to begin cooling.
7. Once the dough is completely cooled, it’s time to play.

Frequently Asked Questions

How should homemade play dough be stored?

Store in a container with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator. Using a plastic zipper bag (the easy choice) will cause the playdough to dry out since it is not airtight.

How long will homemade playdough keep?

Properly stored, homemade play dough will keep for at a least a couple of weeks and may keep for up to three months. You’ll want to keep an eye on it for dryness or signs of spoilage such as mold. 

Is the Hot Cocoa Play Dough Taste Safe?

While it is not toxic, it does have a high ratio of salt and shouldn’t be consumed. It also isn’t likely to taste that great, so a small bite taken in spite of parental warnings should be off-putting enough for most kids to end the behavior. If your child just cannot resist, maybe use our taste-safe Cool Whip Playdough recipe instead.

What to Add to your Hot Cocoa Playdough for Maximum Fun

• Cookie Cutters. Snowflakes, stockings, trees, mugs or teacups, and wintery things would be perfect.
• Rolling Pin. Every good playdough bin needs a rolling pin to roll the dough flat. I’m actually a fan of this full playdough tool set because it seems to hold up well.
• Marshmallows. I know it’s a recipe for messy play, but every good cup of hot chocolate has a marshmallow or two. Add the jumbo size to your playtime with playdough, and just know you might have to throw some of it out when it all gets mushed together. 
• The cups from a Play Tea Set. This is fun because your kids can make “cups of hot chocolate” and serve them. It encourages pretend play, which is so valuable for language development and imagination.

How to Keep the Mess Minimal

I have heard many parents say they just don’t get out the play dough or the sensory bins because they can’t handle the mess. I can relate to that. Some days messes are just adding to the hard! However, if we never provide our kids with sensory rich play, that’s a problem too. Here are some tips to help minimize your mess and maximize the benefits.

Use a vinyl tablecloth. These are easy to clean up. Just take them off the table by folding them up into a ball, and then go outside and shake them off. Or, just wipe them up with a damp papertowel and throw away any leftover playdough bits. These are actually handy for all kinds of crafts! 

Teach kids how to collect playdough bits easily. Just take a small ball of play dough and smush it onto the little bits scattered about and it sticks together and makes clean up fast! I have seen three and four year olds do this voluntarily after classroom playdough play because Mom or Dad made it a routine game everytime the play dough came out. Little kids can do this!

Expect your kids to help with clean up and be responsible. Have them look around the floor after play time to see if any small bits of dough have escaped the table.

Make group clean-up a routine, not a random event that only happens when you’re stressed. Every single time the messy play activities happen (crafts, playdough, slime, etc.), clean-up is a team effort. If you always clean up after your child they never learn and this teamwork encourages responsibility over sloppiness. My mom always taught me that “many hands make light work” and it’s something I passed along to my own kids too.

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What does a Water Beads Stress Ball do?

When you have nervous energy or stress, having something to do with your hands can be a life saver. It gives you something to focus on besides whatever you are anxious about. Squeezing the ball can be hard work, and will actually build grip strength, in addition to being therapeutic. Repetitive motion helps give the brain a chance to relax.

The tactile, bumpy nature of the textured water beads stress ball provides a distraction from ruminating thoughts and helps a person stay grounded in the present moment through sensory feedback.

This homemade version looks amazing and complicated, but it is actually really simple to make. Tweens and teens can easily get in on the excitement and make their own. Each one will cost just pennies! 

If you have experimented with fidget toys, you know that sometimes all your child needs in order to be able to focus in class, calm down during a test, or function in a loud environment is something to occupy their hands. 

In addition to stress relief and emotional regulation, the stress ball also provides a sensory experience with all of the benefits of sensory play. 

How to Make Textured Water Bead Stress Balls

Supplies Needed:

• Funnel. The whole in the funnel needs to be bigger than the expanded water beads. You can also use an empty water bottle, cut in half. 
• Water beads
• Balloons

Step-By-Step Instructions:

1. Blow up your balloon and let the air out. This stretches it so that it is ready.
2. Add your balloon to the bottom of your funnel. 
3. Add in your material (rice, flour, or water beads) until the balloon is full. 
4. Tie the balloon and cut the end as close to the knot as possible. 

Tips for Making the Best Water Beads Stress Ball 

• Pre-soak the water beads before you begin. You do not have to use the full amount of water required. The more excess water the beads absorb, the more easily they will break in the ball. This will take several hours — perhaps even a full day of soaking before the beads before you are ready to make your stress ball. 
• You can add another balloon on top to make it more secure. 
• You can keep squishing the material down into the balloon to fill it up or leave extra space, depending on your texture preference. 

What to do with a Stress Ball

Introduce the water beads stress ball at a time that is not stressful. Kids love to play with these because they feel strange and are fun. Have them practice squeezing the ball which provides more intense proprioceptive feedback and deep muscle work for the hands.

Talk about how it feels in their hands and how it makes them feel. Ask them questions about the texture, the experience, etc. Don’t wait for a moment of big emotions to hand your child a stress ball for the first time. 

Keep it in your go bag. Whether in a purse, a backpack, a lunchbox, a diaper bag, or in the back of the car, keep a stress ball with you so that it’s around when you or your child needs one. This is a great thing to have in your Calm Down Kit.

Encourage self-regulation. By making a stress ball available to your child, you can put the power of emotional regulation in their hands. Encourage them to find what they need to calm down in the moment, before a full on meltdown happens. Remind them often that they have access to a stress ball (and/or other stress management tools) and should find it when they need it. 

If needed, you can trade out different stress-relieving toys and fidget toys so that none of them become boring. Some children will want the same thing every time and some will want variety. Figure out what works for your child. We have instructions for making a variety of different sensory balls in case this one is not what your child needs.

*Please note that balloons are a choking hazard so adult supervision should be used at all times.

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A win-win activity, bubble painting provides gustatory (oral) sensory feedback, helps increase fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, stimulates the imagination, while delighting your kids at the same time. When finished, your child will have a unique work of art to enjoy.

Supplies for the Bubble Painting Fish and Turtle

• Small Cups. Disposable cups make clean-up easier.
• Bubble Solution. You can use a store-bought mix or make homemade bubble solution (leave out the essential oils from this recipe for this activity.)
• Green and Blue Food Coloring.
• Straws.
• Thick White Paper. The kind meant for watercolor or mixed media would be good.
• Googly Eyes or Stickers. Googly eyes that have a sticker backing are just as great for fine motor skills as the type you have to glue, and are a little less aggravating.
• Markers or Crayons.
• Scissors. To cut out the fish after you are finished. You could then make it into a magnet, use it it as a gift tag, etc.
• Art Tray. I love these handy trays to keep all the mess contained. You can also use a plastic tablecloth, old newspapers, etc.

Instructions to make a Bubble Painting Fish or Turtle

1. Fill cups 1⁄2 way with bubble solution
2. Add 3-5 drops food coloring into each cup
3. Place cardstock into tray
4. Hold cup with bubbles over the paper
5. Blow into each cup through a straw, allowing bubbles to spill over the cup and onto the paper
6. Immediately pat dry.
7. Once dry, add googly eyes.
8. Color the outlines of the animals using markers or crayons.

Tips for the Best Bubble Painting Experience

I’ve been doing bubble painting with my kiddos since my oldest were little, and I have some tips to make things easier and better all around.

Do not use paint with younger kids. Use food coloring, because it is taste safe in the event this mouth-centered activity goes a little awry.

Throw the mess away. I recommend using disposable straws, and not a reuseable straw since it will be tricky to get the paint washed out. 

Thin as needed. If the bubble solution is to thick to blow easily, just add a little water at a time till you get the perfect viscosity.

Wear old clothes. Because you need to use food coloring, getting stains out of clothing might be tricky. You probably will be able to get stains out, but it might be more trouble than it is worth if you can find paint clothes that don’t matter. 

Take it outside. The easiest way to contain the mess is to do the whole project outside where it can be washed away when you are finished. 

Poke a hole. If you make a hole or slit in the straw about one inch below the top, it will help prevent sucking the liquid up into the mouth. This is not foolproof, but it helps.

Important Note: Only do this activity with kids who are able to blow through a straw without sucking up the bubble mixture. 

Variations for this Activity

Experiment with paints and colors. If you have older kids with little to no risk, you can experiment with different types of non-toxic paints for a more intense color and different effects. You can combine different colors and see what happens if bubbles are dipped into two different colors. 

Different Tools. The size of the straw can change up the results. Your child might also enjoy using a bubble wand instead of a straw.  

Use different bubble solutions. Each bubble solution is different. Some make big bubbles and some make tiny bubbles. Some make super strong bubbles and some are just normal. You can find all kinds of recipes on the internet to try, or you can just buy a bottle at the local store.

Make it a print. Instead of overflowing bubbles onto the paper like we did, you can instead fill up your art tray with bubbles and then press paper down onto the bubbles to make a print.

Try the blowover method. Take the paper outside and blow the bubbles onto the paper using a bubble wand. 

What to Do With Your Bubble Paintings

Once you have the little fishies or turtles painted and drawn, you can cut them out. Then, you can glue magnets on the back to make refrigerator magnets or a magnet fishing game. You can use them on notecards. They can be hung on a mobile or straight on a wall. Fish and turtles can be used to decorate containers, classrooms, posters, and more! They could even be turned into ornaments.

Frequently Asked Questions

I have a toddler. Can we enjoy bubble painting?

Yes. As long as your child can blow through a straw and isn’t likely to suck through the straw, you can have fun with this activity. Your toddler will be captivated by all of the swirling, poppable color. 

I have a tween. Is bubble painting worth it? 

Yes. Older kids and adults will enjoy experimenting with different techniques, effects, and ideas to come up with even more creative bubble art.

Why should I care about doing process art with my kids?

Process art is all about the experience. Its not about the end result at all — there is no judgement. Your child is free to explore and become captivated by the experience without fear. 

More Sensory Painting Activities

• Bubble Wrap Body Slam Painting
• Edible Freezie Painting
• Ice Painting
• Cotton Ball Painting
• Shaving Cream Polka-Dot Sidewalk Painting

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We like to make new and exciting playdough recipes to change things up, even though we love our Basic Homemade Playdough Recipe for everyday use. This recipe is so fun for kids because it is edible playdough, and they can help make this simple recipe. In fact, I recommend letting your kids help whenever possible!

Pro Tip: This is the perfect way to use up Cool Whip you forgot about over the holidays and found in your freezer three months later!

Cool Whip Play Dough Recipe

• 8 oz. frozen Cool Whip
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2-3 cups cornstarch
• Food coloring – optional

How to Make Cool Whip Play Dough

1. In a medium bowl, add the frozen Cool Whip and 1 cup of powdered sugar. Stir to mix together well.
2. Add 1 cup of cornstarch to the Cool Whip and powdered sugar, then mix again.
3. If you’d like to add food coloring, add 4-5 drops and mix in.
4. Place the Cool Whip mixture back into the container and refreeze overnight.
5. Add the Cool Whip mixture into a bowl.
6. Add another cup of cornstarch and mix well with a spoon.
7. If the mixture is still sticky, add another 1⁄2 cup of cornstarch and knead with your hands.
8. Play!

Pro Tip: If the Cool Whip play dough is still sticky, add the remaining 1⁄2 cup of cornstarch and knead well. More cornstarch may be needed as the dough absorbs moisture in the air over the next few days.

How to Store Cool Whip Play Dough

This is not the kind of play dough you can keep on the counter. Instead, store your leftover edible playdough in an air tight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Variations

You can substitute some of the cornstarch with chocolate cocoa powder or strawberry drink mix powder for different flavors. 

A bit of peppermint flavoring (not extract) will make this the perfect Christmas or winter play dough and add that amazing smell for sensory play. I don’t recommend using extracts because of the bitter taste of uncooked alcohol, but you can find alcohol-free flavoring oils in the cake decorating section of your local craft store.

Playing with Play Dough

I’m always looking for common household objects that will make our playdough play more fun. Set out the play dough with a few interesting possibilities and create an invitation to play. Here are some fantastic ideas for things that either cut play dough or make fun imprints, and most of these you already have or can grab at the dollar store.

• Plastic Cups
• Plastic Cookie Cutters (letters and numbers are fabulous!)
• Cookie Press Cutters 
• Dough Roller
• Toy Rings or Jewelry
• Lego® or Duplo®  (this may be a permanent sacrifice, so proceed with caution). 
• Plastic silverwear (knives, forks, spoons)
• Combs
• Plastic Beads
• Bubble Wrap
• Hair Brush
• Whisk
• Plastic Animals
• tooth brushes
• doggy toothbrush 
• leaves, flowers, and plants

Pro Tip: Contain the mess with play dough mats. I hear parents mention repeatedly that the reason they don’t do “XYZ” is because they don’t like the mess. As grown-ups we can figure out ways to contain and deal with that mess for a few years so that our kids get the powerful benefits of sensory play. Our Play Dough Mats Bundle can help you, and will even extend the fun! As a side note, this edible play dough wipes up easily with a hot wash cloth, and stray pieces on the floor may be snapped up by your pets.

The Benefits of Play Dough Play

This playdough provides significant sensory feedback, including tactile (touch), proprioceptive from the squeezing and squishing of the dough, and gustatory (taste) sensory input. If you add smelly food-safe flavoring oils it can also add olfactory (smell) sensory input just like our Pudding Playdough or Melting Ice Cream Playdough.

Besides sensory input, play dough also builds fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, imagination, concentration, and problem solving.

Like most sensory play, playdough is therapeutic and can relieve stress or tension as a calm-down activity for both kids and adults. Try our Calming Lavender Scented Playdough.

This is a huge list of benefits, and doesn’t even touch on ideas for using play dough to extend learning in math, science, and other academic areas — check out Dinosaur Fossils in Playdough as an example!

Tips to Keep Play Dough Time Fun and Interesting

Even though the sensory input is invaluable, some kids might find play dough boring after a while, and need inspiration to keep enjoying the experience. Here are some ideas.

Change up the toys. Don’t give your child all the things for play dough all at once, keep a few different bags of play dough tools and toys to rotate through. 

Change up the recipes. We have a huge and growing collection of play dough recipes on our site!

Connect it to hobbies and interests. Whatever your child is into right now can be connected to sensory play whether its play dough or sensory bins. Dinosaurs? No problem. Counting. Easy! Flowers? Piece of cake! 

Change the smell. Some kids may dislike the natural smell of our play dough recipes. Add a drop or two of essential oils, extracts, or food-safe flavorings to keep it fresh. *Make sure to use food-safe ingredients if your child puts everything in their mouths!

More Thematic Play Dough Recipes Your Child will Love

Frozen Inspired Elsa Microwave Playdough

Peter Rabbit Playdough Invitation to Play

Apple Tree Colour and Counting Playdough Game

Rainbow Playdough Colour and Counting Game

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Give your little one a chance to have some fun as they learn with these cute 5 Little Ducts activities. Make your own duck-filled sensory bottle for your kids to play with as they enjoy the book. They’ll have fun using their different senses to play along as you read a sweet nursery rhyme book.

5 Little Ducks Sensory Bottle:

Supplies needed:

• 16 ounce sensory bottle
• 5 ounce bottle of Elmer’s Clear Glue
• 5 small rubber duck toys
• Blue glass stones/gems
• Water

Instructions:

1. Open the sensory bottle. Pour the whole bottle of glue into the bottle.
2. Add the glass stones and gems to the bottom of the bottle, then place the ducks inside.
3. Fill the bottle with water, leaving a little room at the top empty.
4. Close the lid. Secure the lid with tape or glue, if desired, to ensure the bottle doesn’t leak.
5. Shake the contents of the bottle until all the glue, gems, and ducks move around freely.

Note: You may have bubbles appear shaking the bottle for the first time. Allow the bubbles to settle and disappear after shaking.

5 Little Ducks Preschool Activities

This cute duck craft is the perfect way to have some fun as you read! That’s because this sensory bottle goes along with the story in the popular children’s book, 5 Little Ducks.

In the book, a mother duck patiently awaits Spring, when her five baby ducks – all grown up – return with their new families. Throughout the story, your preschooler will have the chance to practice counting and color recognition, making it a great way to reinforce the concepts they’re learning in school.

Read the book aloud to your kids or watch this YouTube read-along. 

And after you finish reading the story, you can continue the learning process as your little ones make and play with their own sensory bottle. Once the bottle is put together, they can:

• Count the ducks in the bottle as they are reading, moving the bottle around.
• Match the colors in the bottle to the colors in the book.
• Watch the gems sink to the bottom while the ducks float to the top.

Other Activities to Correspond with the 5 Little Ducks Book and Song:

• 5 Little Ducks Storytelling Sensory Tub
• 5 Little Ducks Math Activities
• Printable Preschool Number Line for 5 Little Ducks 
• 5 Little Ducks Printable Pack
• 5 Little Ducks Activities for Kindergarten
• Felt Board for 5 Little Ducks Learning and Play
• 5 Little Ducks Fingerplay
• Count and Circle 5 Little Ducks Craft
• Hands on Fun with the 5 Little Ducklings
• 5 Little Ducks Nursery Rhyme Rocks
• Printable Duck Puppets and Song

You may be interested in these other book related kids activities:

• A Bad Case of Stripes Activities
• Boom Chicka Boom Boom Activities
• Click Clack Moo Cows That Type Activities

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We love creating taste safe sensory play recipes like our Edible Shark Fluffy Slime, Condensed Milk Edible Paint, or Edible Freezie Painting.

Pudding Playdough Recipe:

Supplies needed:

• ¼ cup vanilla flavored instant pudding mix (note: if you purchase the 3.4 oz. box, you will have some left over to make a second batch)
• 1 cup cornstarch
• ⅓ cup warm water
• mixing bowl
• mixing spoon
• candy sprinkles (optional)
• cookie cutters (optional)

Instructions:

1. Add the pudding mix to the mixing bowl.
2. Add half of the corn starch to the bowl.
3. Pour in the water.
4. Stir to mix the dough.
5. Add in the other half of the corn starch.
6. Mix well.
7. Finish by kneading the dough with your hands until you get the desired consistency. The dough should feel soft to the touch when you start mixing and should not be sticky.
8. If you find that your dough is sticky, add more corn starch.

If you want, you can add the candy sprinkles to the dough.

Your child can play with the playdough on the table or on a plastic play mat for easy cleanup.

You can set out cookie cutters to add a fine motor element to the playdough station.

When done playing, store any leftover dough in an airtight container in the fridge.

Sensory Benefits:

The dough naturally smells of vanilla because of the vanilla pudding mix, so there are many sensory elements to this playdough. It gives tactile (touch), olfactory (smell), proprioceptive from the squeezing and squishing of the dough, and gustatory (taste) sensory input. 

Why use taste safe playdough?

The high salt content in regular playdough can be dangerous when eaten. For young children who are at that age and stage of putting everything in their mouths or for older kids who have a hard time understanding not to eat the dough, taste safe dough provides a wonderful alternative.The ingredients are ones that you may already have in your pantry which is another benefit to choosing to make this edible pudding play dough.

Variations on this pudding playdough recipe:

• Use lemon pudding mix, chocolate pudding mix, or butterscotch pudding mix to change the flavour and the colour.

Looking for more awesome sensory play recipes for kids? You can grab a free sample chapter of our Sensory Play Recipes eBook here.

Check out some of our other taste-safe play recipes:

Condensed Milk Paint

Shark Fluffy Slime

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Growing up, there were always loot bag (also known as treat bags or party favors) at our birthday parties. It’s something that I continued doing for my own kids, but I noticed that over the years, they became more expected and seemingly less appreciated by party guests. 

That’s when I began to think of new ways to incorporate that into the event. Sometimes, that meant having an epic Put Away Scavenger Hunt and having the treat bags be the prize at the end of the hunt. This was usually somewhere like in the dryer when they returned the dryer balls or in the garage when they returned the wrench.

Setting up a homemade prize punch game is another twist to the usual favor bags.

This grab bag game is another idea that keeps the favor bags exciting and memorable.It also creates another party activity that helps pass the time. And if you’re a parent, you know that that can be a very important thing on those party days!

I’ve also included suggestions below on how to adapt the game for adults and how to create a Christmas grab game game or gift exchange version.

How to Play the Grab Bag Game:

Supplies needed:

• Brown paper bags
• Permanent marker
• Candy
• Small treats or toys (see list of suggestions for bag fillers below)
• Dice

Instructions:

1. Put a pile of treats on the floor or in a tray on the table.
2. Write names on brown paper bags in black marker and put the bags in a circle around the pile down so that names are showing.
3. Have each person sit in front of their bag.
4. Take turns rolling the dice.
5. When you roll doubles, you get to pick a treat from the pile and add it to the bag with your name on it.
6. When all the treats are gone, the game is over.
7. Everyone gets to keep their bag filled with treats.

Variations of the game:

• For teens and adults, you can play so that on your turn if you don’t roll doubles, the dice pass to the next person. When playing with younger kids, it’s usually best to let everyone continue rolling until they get doubles and then continue on.
• Tailor the prizes to the theme of the party. For instance if you’re hosting a dinosaur themed birthday party, you can choose dinosaur shaped candy, dino figurines, dino crayons, dino temporary tattoos, etc. You can also use coloured paper bags that coordinate with the party’s colours to go along with the theme and decorations.

Grab Bag Gift Exchange Game:

To play this as a gift exchange game, have each party guest bring one or two items to add to the pile. You can give them a suggested dollar limit or even request that all the gifts be along the same lines such as all gift cards or all books, socks, or holiday ornaments.

The first person to roll doubles will get first dibs on what they most want in the treat pile. The game continues until all the gifts have been taken.

This may of course result in some guests walking away with multiple gifts while others get none. For this reason, this version of the game is best played with adults. It creates a frantic race to roll doubles and lots of hilarious ribbing back and forth!

Christmas Grab Bag Game:

It’s easy to create a Christmas version of this game. At your holiday party, you can play either the gift exchange version of this game or the regular version. Make it more festive by using Christmas candy or Christmas themed gifts. 

You can decorate brown paper bags with Christmas drawings or stickers or you can use red and green paper bags to add even more of a holiday feel. 

The great thing about this game is that you can include anyone from preschoolers to grandparents. 

List of suggested favors for kids:

• candy
• playdough
• small figurines
• toy cars
• temporary tattoos
• spinning tops
• crayons
• costume jewelry
• silly straws
• slinkys
• slap bracelets
• slime
• stretchy animals
• coins
• bubbles
• sensory items
• fidget toys
• pencils
• notepads
• mini flashlights

List of suggested favors for teens and adults:

• gift cards
• nail polish
• makeup
• lotions
• face mask packets
• playing cards
• candles
• books
• candy
• socks
• markers
• money
• gardening seeds
• homemade or store bought soap
• cookie cutters
• tools
• keychains
• drinks
• chocolate
• coffee mugs
• reusable water bottles
• pens
• notebooks
• flashlights
• wine
• hats 
• lip chap
• wooden or metal logic puzzles
• headlamp toques/beanies

Suggested favors for Christmas:

• any of the items on the above lists
• candy canes
• hot chocolate packets
• hand warmers
• Christmas ornaments
• Christmas decorations
• hot chocolate bombs
• Christmas crackers
• holiday cookie cutters
• holiday baking
• poinsettas
• pinecone fire starters
• snowman bath bombs
• stockings
• ugly Christmas sweaters

Get your free printable Christmas Gift Exchange Dice Game. 

Check out some of our other party games:

• Minute to Win It Games
• Minute to Win It Dollar Store Games
• Minute to Win It Build (LEGO) Edition
• The Flour Game
• The Bag Game
• Prize Punch Game
• Saran Wrap Ball Game

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My girls discovered this a few years ago. Once they stumbled upon how to make it, they made it in multiple colours and it was perfect for all kinds of play opportunities.

How to make fake cotton candy for sensory play:

Materials needed:

• yarn in pastel colours
• pet brush with wire bristles

Instructions:

1. Comb out the yarn with the dog brush until it becomes fluffy and very soft.
2. Play!

Yes, it’s really that simple.

Making it themselves is part of the fun, so be sure to allow your child the chance to comb the yarn themselves. Adult supervision is recommended for this and all other sensory play. The wire bristles are sharp so use your best judgment when it comes to your child’s age and skill level.

This fake cotton candy looks like the real thing. It is so soft. I wish you could reach through the screen and give it a feel. It has a silky feeling that kids love.

Cotton candy is sometimes also called fairy floss.

It’s perfect for using in sensory bins or pretend play. You could also include it in a play kitchen.This sensory cotton candy would be so cute in a carnival or circus themed sensory bin!

It would also make a unique party favour or cute decoration for a circus or carnival themed birthday or party. 

Pretend Cotton Candy Variations:

• Use different colour combinations.
• Wind some of the “fairy floss” around a paper straw to give it the look of cotton candy on a stick.
• Place a ball of the cotton candy in a paper cone.
• Make a large amount and attach it to clothing and a hat to create a cotton candy costume. 

Sign up for your free Sensory Play Recipes sample and receive our Sensory Solutions and Activities emails.

Check out some of our other sensory play ideas:

• The Best Homemade Playdough
• DIY Squishies
• How to Dye Noodles for Sensory Play
• Mermaid Stress Balls
• Rainbow Soap Foam

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“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” ~ LM Mongomery from the book Anne of Green Gables

For years, I’ve created Summer Bucket Lists for the kids, but only recently realized I should create a fall one too. There are so many seasonal activities that can be done in these gorgeous months.

I chose activities for this list that were a good mix of things you can do at home and things to do in your community. I also tried to incorporate the use of as many of the senses as I could. 

This fall, get the whole family engaged in the season!

Fall Bucket List Ideas:

1. Visit a local farm.
2. Go apple picking.
3. Smell pumpkin spice.
4. Jump in the leaves.
5. Drink apple cider.
6. Roast pumpkin seeds.
7. Make leaf rubbings.
8. Bake something with apples.
9. Have a family board game night.
10. Go for an outdoor scavenger hunt.
11. Challenge a corn maze.
12. Visit a fall festival.
13. Make fall leaves slime.
14. Go for a crisp walk outside.
15. Make a toilet paper bird feeder.
16. Carve pumpkins.
17. Eat candy corn.
18. Bake a homemade pie.
19. Watch a football game.
20. Go on a fall picnic.
21. Eat a candy apple.
22. Paint with pumpkin puffy paint.
23. Cuddle under a blanket.
24. Play with a sensory bin.
25. Explore pumpkin pie scented moon dough.
26. Bake pumpkin muffins.
27. Bake sugar cookies with maple icing.
28. Go on a hayride.
29. Host an apple bobbing.
30. Create a fall sensory bag.

Download your free fall bucket list today simply by entering your email address below. 
Our other seasonal bucket lists:

• Winter Bucket List
• Spring Bucket List
• Summer Bucket List
• Simpler Summer Bucket List

The post Fall Bucket List appeared first on The Chaos and the Clutter.

This DIY punch a prize party game is a welcome addition to any event. It’s a great idea for birthday parties, family game nights, or school or community fairs or carnivals.

This game is based on an old Price is Right game called Punch-a-Bunch. In that game, contestants would punch through for higher ticket prizes, but the concept and fun is the same.

Homemade Prize Punch Game

How to Make a Prize Punch Game:

Supplies needed:

• paper or plastic cups
• tissue paper
• ribbon
• tape
• scissors
• poster board
• poster board stickers
• prizes 

Directions:

1. Fill each plastic cup with small items such as toys or candy. (see our list of ideas below)
2. Cut the tissue paper into squares, large enough to fit and fold over the top of the cups.
3. Cover each cup with a tissue square. Tie a ribbon around the tissue paper and tie in a knot.
4. Curl the ribbon ends.
5. Repeat this process for the desired number of cups.
6. Decorate a poster board with stickers. Set the cups on top of the poster board.

How to Play the Prize Punch Game:

There are several ways to play this game. You can choose which one would work best depending on the type of event you’re planning.

1. Have the birthday child punch the cups for prizes. You can decide how many cups you would like them to punch, either all cups, or as many as the age they are turning. (For example, when my son turned 6, we made 12 cups and he was able to keep the prizes from 6 cups. My daughter is turning 14, so we created about 25 cups and she’ll keep the prizes from 14 of the 25 cups.)
2. One at a time, have each child at the party punch one cup. They are then able to keep the prize from the cup they chose to punch. This method works very well for classroom parties as well. 

What Should I Use as Prizes?

Anything small enough to fit inside your cups will work as a prize. It can be fun to use things that go along with your party theme such as candy necklaces and rings and costume jewelry for a princess party or matchbox cars for a car themed party. This doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive. I’ve even included some things on the list that are free!

Here are some prize ideas:

• candy
• money (coins or bills)
• confetti
• small figurines
• matchbox cars
• bubbles
• costume jewelry
• crayons
• small containers of playdough (homemade or store bought)
• beads
• small plastic toys
• trading cards
• gift cards
• stickers
• erasers
• socks
• hair accessories
• makeup or nail polish (think teen girl party!)
• pieces of paper with affirmations on them
• homemade coupons for things like a later bedtime or special time with mom or dad

Variations on the Punch a Prize Game:

• Advent Calendar. Use it as an advent or countdown calendar. Number each cup and every day, your child can punch through and take their prize of the day as they count down towards Christmas or another event. Each cup could contain a chocolate, a small prize, or a paper with a holiday activity written on it.
• Christmas Punch a Prize. Make this a Christmas Punch Prize Game by using holiday tissue paper and filling the cups with holiday themed surprises. Wonderful for all ages!
• Punch Prize Board. Use hot glue to secure the bottoms of the cups to a foam board. Once dry, prop the board up or hang it.
• Pair with Another Game. Use the punch prizes to reward the winners of another game such as the winning team in a Minute to Win It challenge.
• Customize. Depending on the theme of the party or time of year, you can customize your game by changing the colour or design of the tissue paper on the cups, the colour of the cups themselves, the decorations on the poster board, and the prizes inside the cups. 
• Incentivize it. Set up the punch prize board and use it as a reward for chores being done, goals reached, books read, potty prizes, etc.

Check out some of our other awesome party games:

• Minute to Win It Games
• Saran Wrap Ball Game
• The Bag Game
• The Flour Game
• Christmas Gift Exchange Game

The post Homemade Prize Punch Game appeared first on The Chaos and the Clutter.