Snow dough is such a fun and hands on activity for kids. It is super easy to make and you only need two ingredients!
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This snow dough is amazingly soft and a great way to keep kids busy. Best of all, you can easily have the snow dough ready in five minutes or less.
We have moved a lot in the past five years. We moved from Texas to Canada then back to Texas. It was a lot of moving! In the move I somehow ended up with not one, not two, but three containers of corn starch. I’m lucky that I found some awesome activities to do with it like this snow dough (below), these unbreakable bubbles or this sidewalk chalk paint!
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💭 Why you’ll love this activity
This snow dough is so easy to make with just two ingredients needed! It is a great sensory bin filler or you can use it like play dough (although please note that it is messier than regular play dough).
💭 Is this snow dough taste safe?
This snow dough is not safe to eat or to taste. It should not be given to children who still mouth things. Parental supervision is required.
📖 What ingredients are needed to make snow dough?
To make snow dough you only need two ingredients. You will need corn starch and baby oil. You can also add food coloring if desired. If adding food coloring, I recommend adding it with the oil before mixing it with the corn starch.
📋 How to make this recipe (step by step guide)
Mix the corn starch and baby oil together (image 1). Stir well with a large spoon (image 2). Add additional baby oil if dough is not smooth.
⭐ The importance of sensory activities
My kids sat quietly and played with our snow dough for a good 45 minutes. I was really impressed in how engaging it was for them. Snow dough is a great activity for kids to use to explore, practice fine motor skills, and use their imaginations.
The dough is silky smooth and there are so many fun and creative ways to play, shape, and mold it. We loved using scoops, small cups, and cookie cutters with ours.
⭐ Other fun ideas
- Food coloring is optional and snow dough is actually really versatile. You could use the snow dough in a winter or Christmas themed sensory bin, dye it green for St. Patrick’s Day, or red for Valentine’s Day. I suggest mixing the food coloring with the oil for the best mix.
- Try adding glitter for a sparkly dough.
- Make snow men by using pipe cleaners and googly eyes.
- Use play dough tools to play with the dough.
- Use plastic cookie cutters to make different shapes and animals.
- Try using small scoops or measuring cups.
- Add small amount of peppermint oil for a fun scent.
🥡 How to store
You can store snow dough in an airtight tupperware container or plastic storage bag for a week. Just let all the air out that you can so it stays fresh. It will not keep forever and will need to be replaced after one week.
⭐ How to keep snow dough from being messy
Fair warning, this activity can be a bit messy. To control the mess, you may want to consider:
- Use an apron like this one from Amazon.
- Use a large plastic bin to contain the mess. We used an extra large tupperware container.
- Do the snow dough outside.
- Use a tablecloth or do the activity at a designated craft table.
⭐ Activity FAQs
Snow dough is a fun winter themed sensory dough for toddlers. You can use it as a sensory bin filler or you can use it like play dough. We prefer to use ours in sensory bins since it is messier than regular play dough.
Combine 1 ½ cups of corn starch with ½ of a cup of baby oil.
You can make fake snow for a sensory table or sensory bin by combining corn starch and baby oil together.
About seven days. It does not last forever and will need to be replaced.
Other fun sensory ideas:
Snow Dough
Equipment
- 1 large tub or bin
Materials
- 1 ½ cups corn starch
- ½ cup baby oil
- food coloring optional
Instructions
- Mix the corn starch and baby oil together and stir with a large spoon until it becomes solid.
- If using food coloring, add the coloring to the oil before mixing.
Megan Rogers says
If I am making this for about 10 or more girls for a girl scout activity, how much would just this one recipe yield to make for individual portions you’d say?
Audrey says
Hi Megan if it were me, I’d say one batch is enough for two girls to split with enough for each one to play with. So, I’d use 5x the amount the recipe suggests for 10 girls. If you can, I’d recommend using a disposable plastic table cloth to keep the mess at minimum, especially with a big group. If you have any more questions, please let me know and thank you so much for helping with Girl Scouts!
Kimmy says
This is such a fun activity!
Sarah B. says
This is so cute! My toddlers would LOVE this. Saving for later!
MyWorldTheirWay says
The snowman looks so cute.. It can be perfect activity to do after reading a snowman themed book or can be adapted to any theme.
Bekah Groop says
This looks like fun! My toddler would love this and I like that it’s such a simple recipe. Less messy than slime too from the looks of it! Thanks!
Amber says
My heart smiled. This looks like a blast! I save activities for when my little one is old enough but I must say I want to get my hands on some snow dough.
Kanaya says
So tempted to do this with my almost 2 year old! She does good about not putting things in her mouth so I bet she’s do fine with the non edible part. Thanks for the idea!