For Kids | Sensory Play

Ice Cream Cloud Dough

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This ice cream cloud dough is soft, fun, and a great sensory activity for the kids. With just a few simple household ingredients, this kid-friendly activity is certain to be a hit!

The great part about this fine motor activity is that the kids will really have fun helping to make it. All of the supplies needed are staple supplies that you probably already have in your home.

In just a few moments of time, the kids will be digging in and playing with this fun cloud dough. Just be ready – this is certain to cause hours of imaginary play!

This would pair up perfectly with this Homemade Play Dough with Heart Shaped Buttons activity as well. The more textures that the kids have to play with, the more they’ll love using their senses for learning as well.

Since there are a lot of families spending time at home these days, there’s really no reason why this fun preschooler or early learning activity can’t be whipped up and used daily.

There won’t be a peep of disapproval from the kids because this cloud dough really does feel awesome to the touch! Stop spending money at the stores on these items and make it up yourself!

Supplies Needed for Ice Cream Cloud Dough

As mentioned above, you more than likely have the majority, if not all, of these simple supplies needed to make this DIY cloud dough!

  • Flour
  • Hot cocoa mix
  • Pink food coloring
  • Baby oil
  • Vanilla
  • Sprinkles
  • Bin with a lid
  • Ice Cream Scoop
  • Small Bowls
  • Play Ice Cream Cones
  • Assorted “toppings” from your play food collection

How To Make This Easy Ice Cream Cloud Dough

While this looks good enough to eat, remind your kiddos not to put it in their mouth. This activity is all about being creative with their mind and imagination and not about actually tasting the dough.

Since this simple recipe is really just a lot of combining and measuring, it’s a really simple activity to do. It’s also a chance to help the kids work on their directions skills as well.

Before you get started, make certain you have all the supplies listed from above.

The kids can help read through the printable directions below to gather up everything that is needed.

Add in a few drops of the red food coloring and give it a good mix. It’s going to be crumbly and isn’t going to be bright red.


Layer the cloud dough in the bin by color.

Add small dishes, ice cream or cookie scoop, play ice cream cones, and assorted “toppings”. We used the toppings from a Learning Resources toy called Mix and Match Doughnuts and it was a total hit!


Allow your child to play in the dough and serve ice cream. Remember to supervise your child during this activity because despite smelling great, this is not a taste safe play option.

You can make this dough with vegetable oil instead of baby oil if you are worried about your child trying to taste the dough. Please note it will not be as soft, but it will still be a lot of fun to play with!

This will be a bit messy but messy play is good for their creativity!

Tips For Making Ice Cream Cloud Dough

If you have a few more questions about how to make this cloud dough, hopefully these extra tips will help!

  • It isn’t going to be “moist” but it should be wet enough feeling to stick together to create things. If it’s too dry, you may need to add in a bit more oil.
  • Once your child is done playing with the cloud dough, you need to store it in an airtight container for later.

Is this activity safe for toddlers?

As long as you can keep the cloud dough out of their mouth, this would be such a fun activity for them! Just be there with them for parental supervision if you’re worried.

What if I want to make it edible?

If your child is orally stimulated and you’re worried about them eating this cloud dough, swap out the mineral oil for an edible oil instead.

Oils such as vegetable, canola, sunflower, and avocado will be a better choice for your recipe. It won’t be as velvety soft as with mineral oil, but it will make it safer on the off chance they’ll consume it.

What are other fun topping ideas?

Get out some birthday candles (not lit, of course!) or find some fake food from their play kitchen. You can even let them use legos as sprinkles if you want.

We used the mix and match donut set and we also have a fun ice cream set for sensory play we pull out sometimes.

If you have these scoops in your kitchen, they are great for dexterity and building up hand strength. Our daughter with special needs has really benefitted from tools like this being incorporated into sensory play along with creative additions.

If they want to use it, let them!

Ready for this fun cloud dough recipe? It’s going to be such a blast for the kids!

Ice Cream Cloud Dough

Ice Cream Cloud Dough

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

This ice cream cloud dough is a great sensory activity for the kids!

Materials

  • 6 cups of flour
  • One packet of hot cocoa mix
  • Pink food coloring
  • 3 cups of baby oil
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla
  • Sprinkles
  • Bin with a lid
  • Ice Cream Scoop
  • Small Bowls
  • Play Ice Cream Cones
  • Assorted "toppings" from your play food collection.

Instructions

To make strawberry sprinkle ice cream cloud dough:

Start by adding in a few drops of food coloring to one cup of the baby oil. Be ready, it's not going to mix well.

Next, take and put 2 cups of flour into the oil. Once that is added, stir until you notice that the flour is very well coated.

The food coloring is going to look lumpy.

Take and mash these lumps with your fingers to create a strawberry effect.

The dough is good to go if it clumps together and you can form a ball with it.

To make vanilla cloud dough:

You're going to mix one cup of the oil and one teaspoon of the vanilla with the two cups of flour. Once done, stir.

The dough is good to go if it clumps together and you can form a ball with it.

To make chocolate cloud dough:

Take a hot cocoa mix and put it together with one cup of baby oil. Mix.

Once mixed, add in 2 cups of flour and mix.

The dough is good to go if it clumps together and you can form a ball with it.

After all three have been made, layer them in a bin by color. Put in small dishes, a cookie scoop, etc.

Ready to have some fun?

I'd love to hear from you in the comments.Be sure to share so others can enjoy this, too!

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