To create this Valentine’s sensory station, I used strawberry and chocolate playdough. I added other items to encourage imaginative play. This playdough invitation to play held the attention of my kids and I loved the creative ideas they came up with. 
Strawberries and chocolate are something I think of when I think about Valentine’s Day. Chocolate playdough was easy to make. I used red glitter in the dark pink playdough to make it look like strawberry.
Supplies for the invitation to play:
- pipe cleaners
- gold foil candy cups
- heart cupcake liners
- various heart shaped cookie cutters
- heart treat mould
- lollipop sticks
- rolling pin
- chocolate and strawberry scented play dough (recipes below)
I was so surprised at what the kids created with the playdough! They are much more creative than I am.
They made cake pops, heart shaped lollipops, bon bons, little creatures, desserts, and cookies. Einstein even made a cookie that looked like someone had taken a bite out of it!
Here are the recipes for the play dough. Both recipes can also be found in my Sensory Bins ebook.
Chocolate Playdough Recipe:
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 cup salt
- 1/2 cup cocoa
- 2 Tbsp. cream of tartar
- 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 2 cups water
Stovetop instructions:
Add all ingredients to a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until it forms a ball and your arms are ready to fall off! Scoop it onto wax paper and allow it to cool. When cool enough, knead it and it is ready to play with.
No cook instructions:
Add the flour, salt, cocoa, and cream of tartar to the KitchenAid mixer. With the dough beater (the flat one), begin mixing on low and add the oil. As it mixes, pour in 2 cups of boiling water and continue to mix on low until it resembles playdough texture.
Remove the dough from the mixer and knead it by hand for 30 seconds to a minute.
The smell of this chocolate playdough is amazing!
This dough keeps soft for months if stored in an airtight container or resealable bag. 
Strawberry Playdough Recipe:
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup salt
- 2 tsp. cream of tartar
- 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- red food coloring or pink food paste
- red glitter
- optional: 3 drops of strawberry essential fragrance oil
Stovetop instructions:
Put all the ingredients except for the essential oil and glitter into a pot and stir. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it forms a ball. As soon as it goes into a ball, take it off the heat and dump it onto the counter on wax paper.
When it is cool enough, add essential oil and/or glitter and knead it until it is nice and soft. Store in an airtight container or resealable bag.
No cook instructions:
Add the flour, salt, and cream of tartar to the KitchenAid mixer. Using the dough beater, begin mixing on low and add the oil, food colouring, and essential oil. As it mixes, pour in 1 cup of boiling water and continue to mix on low until it resembles playdough texture.
Take the dough out of the mixer and knead it for 30 seconds to a minute. Add the glitter in at this point and mix through by kneading.
The scented strawberry and chocolate playdough create a sensory experience that includes olfactory, tactile, and proprioception sensory systems.
If you are looking for other sensory activities, you may want to join me for a free 5 part email series Sensory Solutions and Activities and get your Sensory System Behaviours Easy Reference Cards.
Check out some of our other play dough invitations to play:
The only negative thing about this playdough is that it smells so good and the colour looks so much like true gingerbread dough that kids want to eat it. In fact, my great-niece was over last night and couldn’t resist tasting it!
