Looking for an easy play dough alternative that won’t dry out your child’s skin? This homemade cloud dough recipe is the softest 2-ingredient play dough you’ll ever make. It’s no-cook, super soft and gluten-free—and best of all, it only requires only a few minutes to make!
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We always have a batch of homemade play dough at home, but on days where the kids want to try something a little different, this cloud dough recipe is one of my favorite things to make.
Not only is it super simple, but it’s also lots of fun. It has a really unique texture that makes it feel like you’re playing with a cloud, and you probably already have all the ingredients you need to make it.
If your child loves play dough, you can also try this Homemade Jell-O Play Dough (our all-time favourite), this Chocolate-Scented Play Dough or this Cinnamon Vanilla Play Dough. They all smell awesome and last for months!
Why You’ll Love This Activity
- Easy to make: This simple recipe only requires 2 ingredients, and no heating or cooking. It takes less than 5 minutes to make from start to finish.
- Super smooth texture: Even if you love regular play dough, this recipe is worth trying at least once. It has a smooth, silky, airy consistency that is unlike anything else we’ve tried.
- Soft on sensitive skin: Unlike traditional salt-based play dough, cloud dough won’t dry out your child’s hands. It is a great option for children who suffer from eczema or dry skin.
- Gluten-free: This activity is safe for kids who have gluten intolerance/sensitivity or coeliac disease. (If you’re looking for a play dough recipe that is gluten-free and edible, you can try this Baby Cereal Play Dough Recipe.)
Required Ingredients
- Baby lotion: My favorite is Johnson’s newborn face and body lotion, but any type of skin or baby lotion will do. You can also use conditioner, but lotion is soft on sensitive skin and gives the cloud dough a light, silky texture.
- Cornstarch: You may know it as “corn flour” if you live in the U.K.
- Food coloring (optional): Liquid food coloring and gel food coloring will both work, but I recommend gel food coloring because the color is very concentrated and you won’t need to use as much. You can also use one of these natural food dye alternatives, or even liquid watercolor paint (which is cheaper than food coloring and has the advantage of being washable).
The full ingredient list, quantities and instructions can be found in the recipe card.
How to Make Cloud Dough (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Place lotion in a bowl. Pour some skin or baby lotion into a medium bowl. Make sure the bowl is large enough to accommodate all of the ingredients, plus a little extra.
Step 2: Add color (optional). Add a few drops of food coloring or liquid watercolor paint. This part is just for fun, so you can skip it and leave the cloud dough white if you prefer.
Step 3: Add cornstarch. Add the cornstarch (you’ll need twice as much as the lotion) and stir it in with a spoon. Make sure you stir very gently to prevent cornstarch from flying out of the bowl. The mixture should become easier to stir over time.
Step 4: Knead the dough. When you have gotten as far as you can with the spoon, start kneading the dough with your hands. Keep kneading until the play dough feels nice and smooth. If it feels too sticky, add a bit of cornstarch; if it feels to crumbly, add a bit of lotion.
Once you are happy with its consistency, your cloud dough is ready to play with! My kids love its soft, airy texture.
Helpful Tips
- Stick with a 1:2 ratio: I used used ⅓ cup of lotion for ⅔ cups of cornstarch, but you can make more or less as long as you stick with the same proportions (twice as much cornstarch as lotion).
- Use a bigger bowl than you think you’ll need: This will help prevent the cornstarch from flying all over the place during the mixing process.
- Wear gloves: Consider wearing gloves to avoid staining your hands with food coloring while you knead the dough.
- Use a bin during play: Cloud dough can get a bit crumbly, so playing with it inside a bin will help limit the mess and make the cleanup easier.
- Keep some lotion on hand: If the dough dries out and gets too crumbly during play, add a bit of lotion and work it in with your hands to make it soft again.
- Use a vacuum cleaner: If some of the cloud dough gets on your floors, a vacuum cleaner is the easiest way to clean it up.
Storage Instructions
To store homemade cloud dough, wrap it in plastic wrap as tightly as you can and place it inside a sealed zip-top bag or airtight container. (Zip-top bags work best because you can push the air out.)
Make sure to wrap it in a way that is as airtight as possible, as cloud dough dries out very quickly when it comes into contact with air. If it dries out during storage and becomes too crumbly to play with, you can work in some lotion with your hands to restore its consistency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question that wasn’t answered here? Let me know in the comments and I’ll be happy to help!
More 2-Ingredient Sensory Recipes
If you have tried this Cloud Dough Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments below. I can’t wait to hear from you!
2-Ingredient Cloud Dough
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup baby lotion or skin lotion
- food coloring or liquid watercolor paint as needed
- ⅔ cup cornstarch (known as "corn flour" in U.K.)
Instructions
- Pour baby lotion into a mixing bowl and add a few drops of food coloring. Stir until combined.
- Add cornstarch to the bowl. Stir with a spoon until you can no longer continue, then knead the dough with your hands until smooth.
- Add more baby lotion or cornstarch as needed to achieve the perfect consistency. Start playing immediately.
Video
Notes
- Stick with a 1:2 ratio: Recipe proportions can be modified as long as you respect the 1:2 ratio of lotion to cornstarch.
- Use a bigger bowl than you think you’ll need: This will help prevent the cornstarch from flying all over the place during the mixing process.
- Wear gloves: If you decide to add color, consider wearing gloves to avoid staining your hands while you knead the dough.
The children really love this. We bought different colored marshmallows, so we wouldn’t have to use food dye. Also, with my gluten allergy, we used gluten-free flour with xanthan gum, and it turned out perfect.