Sandcastle messy play with a homemade cloud dough recipe is perfect for summer days when you can’t get to the real beach – or when you want a relaxing sensory playtime in the shade of your own home.
Here’s the recipe:
Sandcastle messy play :: homemade cloud dough recipe
Watch our Sensory Tub Masterclass
Click to play on the video above to see our sensory tub masterclass. You’ll learn how to make a sensory tub for your children using simple materials, the benefits of sensory tubs for children, and how to use a sensory tub to teach children about math, literacy, science and fine motor skills.
You’ll also see lots of ideas for sensory tub fillings plus find out how to get great printables to add to your tubs. Subscribe to NurtureStore’s YouTube channel to get more sensory play videos!
Cloud dough is one of the recipes in my e-book The Homemade Play Dough Recipe Book.
It’s very easy to make and a totally different sensory experience to traditional play dough.
To make it, you will need:
4 cups of flour
1 cup of oil (we most often use baby oil, to get a lovely fragrance)
glitter is optional, but we like some extra sparkle!
All you need to do is combine the ingredients in a bowl and mix…
until it combines and gives you a texture that looks like you’re about to make pastry.
But… give the cloud dough a squish with your hand and you’ll see how it comes together and holds its shape! So cool!
My girls find it irresistible. It’s such a touchy-feely material to play with.
Be aware that this is messy play (that’s half the fun , isn’t it) – although I find the clean up afterwards is quick and easy.
I wouldn’t try it in a room with a carpet, but it sweeps up fine from my kitchen floor.
The squishing is so much fun and as the dough holds its shape it’s perfect for making sandcastles.
I set out some scoops and bowls in different sizes and we had our own homemade mini beach!
The girls made some flags for their sandcastles {from toothpicks and tissue paper} to go on top. You can add little people and a little square of fabric and set up a picnic day out on the beach.
This looks great Cathy! Fun for toddlers but my eight year old will enjoy making and playing with this too.:-)
Thanks Lynda. My 10-year-old gives it the thumbs up too!
This looks SO fun! I am just wondering if this can be kept for any length of time or if it starts going ‘funny’ after a short while.
Hi Serena. I guess it depends on how long it stays out for play, how you store it, and even the weather! Certainly it doesn’t last as long as traditional play dough, but you can get a good few playtimes from one batch.
I used sunflower oil, that is all we have at the moment. Kids, 18 months to 6 yrs, LOVED IT!
Fantastic jamie – glad they had fun 🙂
Great ideas! I would definitely try this homemade recipe for the summer ASAP, my kids badly miss the beach.
Thanks Emily. It’s a really good stand-in when you can’t get to the real beach!
Wow i have got to try this
HI, this looks like great fun for my special needs class. I was wondering if anyone had added colouring?? We are doing a colour a week this term!
Thanks
I’d suggest using powdered paint in with the flour Lucy. You might also try combining food colouring with the oil.
I have used powdered koolaid packets. Makes fun colors and adds a cool smell if you use vegetable oil. My preschool kids had fun with it!
I used vegetable oil so I didn’t have I worry about my 14 moth old eating it… She LOVED it!! Tons of fun!!
This is great.. how long do you think it could last? I was thinking about putting it in my sensory table in the 2/3 olds room.
Hi Krysti, it’s lifetime will depend on all sorts of things – like what else you add to the play (water etc), even the atmospheric conditions might make it dry out sooner, but you should get some great playtimes from it.
Mmmmm, one of our favourites! And I love your little flags, Cathy!
hi what a great idea going to try this in my after school club. was woundering could you add flavouring to make it sencted?
Hi kym, yes you could have fun experimenting with that. A drop or two of essential oil or some finely ground spices could be a good addition.
Hi Cathy, quick question – does it matter what flour you use? Is there a type that you think works best?
Thanks.
Charlotte
Hi Charlotte. I use plain (all purpose) flour from the grocery store. Cathy
This looks likes lots of fun for my students with multiple impairments. Thanks!
Hi! I love this! Can I set this up in our bathroom and just hose down the mess down the drain afterwards? Or will it clog the drain? Thanks!
Hi ging. No, don’t do that! Becuase the mixture contains flour it could completely block your drain. Best to bin or compost after use. You might like our bath paint recipe though – that one you can just wash away.
How much does this make? I am trying to plan this as a summer activity for the day care I work at and was wondering how much of each ingredient I would need. Thanks!
You can scale this up as much as you want. So, if you’re using the four cups of flour as I did in the recipe you’re going to end up with about four cups worth of the clough dough. That’ll be enough for one child to build a few sandcastles. For a very large sensory tub for several children you’d need to make quite a bit more.
Love this idea! Going to try at home first with my monkey 3 year old then might take to foundation stage for new term xx
Hello, I loved the recipe, but I ‘d like to know what kind of four you used!
Thank you!
Hi Maria. Just plain / all-purpose flour.