Cloud Dough

Sweet Pea was 5 years old. 

From:  Many people have blogged about Cloud Dough, but I first read about it at Tinkerlab.  Cloud Dough is a mixture of flour and oil that creates a really interesting substance.  It is somewhat powdery, but easily clumps together when pressed.   It is like wet sand, but with a silky texture.  

 Material:

• Plastic tub or large other container.  (We used a disposable aluminum pan.)
• 8 Cups Flour.
• 1 Cup Vegetable Oil. 
• Measuring cups and spoons for playing (optional).

Procedure:

• Help your tot add the flour to the tub.
• Pour the oil over the flour.
• Invite your tot mix the flour and oil together until the mixture reaches a smooth, yet crumbly consistency.
• Let your tot play.

Observations:   Cloud Dough is very fun!  Sweet Pea had a blast just packing it into the cups and running her hands through it.

One of the little neighbor girls saw us playing and came over.   The girls played together for over an hour pretending that they were running a bakery.  After her friend left, Sweet Pea and I probably played for another hour.  She could not get enough of this stuff.

Children of all ages would enjoy cloud dough and if you use an edible oil (such as vegetable oil)  it is a very toddler friendly activity.    The only drawback is that it is very messy.

Sweet Pea did not want to quit playing.  🙂  We did not store ours because it had gotten too much dirt and grime in it, but I read that it will keep for at least a month. 

Notes from the Trenches:  Did I mention the mess?  This is probably the messiest activity we have ever done. I had read reports of it creating slippery floors inside, so we just did the whole thing outside and that is the only way I would recommend this activity.   I just sprayed the hose on the spilled cloud dough and rinsed it off the driveway.  If we had been inside, I don’t know how I would have gotten everything cleaned up.  

Rating: 3 1/2 Stars * (Fun, Easy- to set up, but maybe not to clean up, Independent, Frugal)