Cloud dough is one of those play recipes that you must make because it’s just too easy not to. If you follow a lot of learning blogs, then you’ve probably seen it dozens of times. But for the sake of those who might not know what I’m talking about…
This is all you need. Mix eight parts flour to one part baby oil. We made two big batches of 16 cups of flour to 2 cups baby oil. I used almost two bags of flour and about 1 1/2 containers of baby oil.
Since my four oldest kids (ages 2,3,5,6) would be playing with the cloud dough, we made two large containers of it.
My Five and Six mixed the flour and baby oil until they were fully combined. If you’ve never experienced cloud dough, you should make it at least once just to enjoy the smell and texture. While you can use a different kind of oil, baby oil gives it a nice scent. The texture of cloud dough is a little like wet sand. You can squeeze it in your fingers, but it falls apart easily.
You just need to try it!
After mixing up the cloud dough, the kids just explored it with their hands for a while. Then I took out a bowl of coins that they had helped me count.
We dumped the coins into the cloud dough, and they searched for coins as they played. My Six, who is finishing up first grade, knows all her coins and their values. But I wanted to give her preschool-aged brothers a chance to differentiate between coins and start to learn their names.
As they found the coins, the kids came over to the printables (sorry, I don’t have these anymore) and matched the coins. I encouraged them to name the coins as they did so.
Soon after matching all the coins, their younger brother (age two) came down from his nap. He had fun playing with cars in the cloud dough. The kids also pulled out a bunch of kitchen utensils.
Kitchen utensils + cloud dough = a good idea
Toy cars + cloud dough = not so good
Because cloud dough is made with flour, it’s not so nice when it’s wet. So trying to clean the flour and oil mixture out of crevices in the toy cars didn’t work so well later on. Just a tip.
My Five and Six played with the cloud dough the longest. They played so long that I had to go upstairs to feed the baby who had just woken up.
At which time my Five ran upstairs to tell me something he felt was important enough to track cloud dough onto the stairs.
I vacuumed it up later.
Another bad idea. Don’t vacuum an oil and flour mixture if you don’t want your vacuum to get gummed up.
Sigh.
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Maryam
Hello,
It is very wonderful.
I enjoyed it very much.
I am working at money museum, I am trying to find different ways of teaching money to kids , it was a very good and interesting way of teaching money. I will do it for kids.
Thank you very much
Anna G
I’m glad you like it!
Anna Geiger
I haven’t tested to see how long it will last, but if you put it in a container with a cover, it will last indefinitely. I think the longest we’ve kept ours has been a few weeks.
JanaDee
I did this with my girls today as part of our Money unit. My six year old really got into it and she is an expert at sniffing out and refusing games or activities where you may *gasp* learn something in the process.
I didn’t have baby oil so I appreciate your comment about using a different oil. I used vegetable oil but put in some lavender essential oil and it smells great 🙂
Thanks so much. I love your blog.
Anna Geiger
Yay – I’m glad you had fun with this one, even your six year old. 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to tell me about it, JanaDee!
Kendra
Vacuuming is what I would do, too. So if that is not a good method, what do you suggest?
Anna Geiger
Sorry for the delay in answering this, Kendra! I would suggest doing this over a big plastic shower curtain if you have to do it on carpet. Otherwise, sweeping it up works well when you do the activity over tile floor.
Laura
Trying this today. Love the picture of the stairs… It happens all the time at my house. Thank you so much for all of your ideas. We’ve had so much fun using them to learn!!
Anna Geiger
I hope you had fun with it, Laura!
Lindsey
I will definitely be doing this . I know my son will LOVE this cloud dough he loves things he can play in with his hands 🙂 can’t wait and oh so fitting since we have been learning about money! 🙂
Anna Geiger
Have fun with it, Lindsey! Just learn from my mistake and keep it off the carpet. 🙂
Nerida Gibson
This looks like a great idea! I definitely have to try it out with my Preppies next year with Australian coins!
Thanks!
Nerida 🙂
Anna Geiger
I think they’ll love it, Nerida!