Whip up some spooky, colorful Halloween playdough in minutes with this easy microwave recipe, using Kool-Aid to create vibrant hues and scents!
Hocus Pocus Playdough
Get ready for a spooktacular sensory experience! This easy Halloween playdough is the perfect way to unleash your little one’s creativity. Made with just a few simple ingredients and ready in just 2 minutes, this vibrant playdough is a safe and fun way to explore textures, colors, and shapes.
This recipe is based on my Kool-Aid Playdough recipe, which is one of my favorite homemade playdough recipes because it is so easy and creates such vivid colors. All you need are simple pantry staples and a microwave – no stovetop needed!
So, grab your mixing bowl and let the spooky fun begin!
Ingredients
For your convenience in creating this recipe, we’ve included shop-able ad links to some of the products used; disclosure policy available here.
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup salt
- 2 Tablespoons cream of tartar
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 packet Kool Aid unsweetened drink mix(we used 1 packet per batch)
Helpful Supplies
Spooky Mix-Ins:
Instructions
You’ll want to repeat the following steps for each color of playdough that you make:
- Whisk all ingredients together in a microwave-safe bowl. Stir in one packet of Kool-Aid.
- Microwave for one minute, stir, then microwave again for 30 seconds.
- If needed, continue microwaving in 15-20 second increments, until the dough begins to form and pull away from sides of the bowl (or is no longer soupy).
- Allow the dough to cool enough so it is safe to handle, then finish kneading by hand.
Video Demo:
Prep Tips
- Storage – When properly stored, your homemade playdough can last for weeks! I keep our playdough in a sealed plastic bag or airtight container at room temperature. While it doesn’t have to be refrigerated, keeping your playdough in a container in the fridge may help it last even longer. Another way to extend the life of your playdough is to wash hands before playing, to avoid adding dirt and oil to the dough.
- To Prevent Staining – Since the colors are so bright, you may be wondering if this dough stains hands, but once everything is fully mixed, this playdough is generally colorfast! To be safe, I always have my kids wear play clothes when using any homemade play dough and we play on a safe surface (we love plastic play trays). We also wash our hands right away when we’re done and have not seen any staining.
- Spooky Mix-Ins – For an especially festive Halloween experience, try adding candy eyeballs and/or plastic spiders and bats to the mix! You’ll want to make sure that your kids are old enough to know not to put any of these items in their mouth, as they are small.
Safety Tips
- Always supervise young children when making or playing with play dough.
- Adults should handle the microwaving – always use a microwave safe bowl and handle with care, as the bowl may become hot.
- This play dough is considered taste-safe (the dough, NOT any mix-ins), meaning it isn’t harmful if tasted. However it doesn’t taste good and is NOT meant to be eaten.
- If you notice any signs of mold or weird changes in texture in your play dough, discard and make a new batch.
More Halloween Activities For Kids
- Witches Brew Slime
- Halloween Sensory Bottles – 3 Ideas
- Mix-N-Match Halloween Magnets
- No-Sew Toilet Paper Pumpkins
- Quilled Pumpkin Craft
- Cell Phone Costume Using A Cardboard Box
- Mickey & Minnie Pumpkins
- Laundry Jug Jack-O-Lanterns
- Pumpkin Pop-Up Craft
Halloween Playdough Recipe (Printable Recipe Card)
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Halloween Playdough
Create spooky, colorful Halloween playdough in minutes with this easy microwave recipe, using Kool-Aid for a variety vibrant hues and scents!
Cost: $12
Equipment
- Microwave-safe Mixing Bowl
- whisk
- Plastic Play Trays for Playdough, Slime, etc.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup salt
- 2 Tablespoons cream of tartar
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 packet Kool Aid unsweetened drink mix 1 packet/color per batch
Instructions
- Whisk all ingredients together in a microwave-safe bowl. Stir in one packet of Kool-Aid.
- Microwave for one minute, stir, then microwave again for 30 seconds.
- If needed, continue microwaving in 15-20 second increments, until the dough begins to form and pull away from sides of the bowl (or is no longer soupy).
- Allow the dough to cool enough so it is safe to handle, then finish kneading by hand.
- Repeat the above steps with a different packet of playdough for each color that you'd like to make. We used orange, lime, and grape flavors.
Video
Notes
- Storage - When properly stored, your homemade playdough can last for weeks! I keep our playdough in a sealed plastic bag or airtight container at room temperature. While it doesn't have to be refrigerated, keeping your playdough in a container in the fridge may help it last even longer. Another way to extend the life of your playdough is to wash hands before playing, to avoid adding dirt and oil to the dough. If you notice any signs of mold or weird changes in texture in your play dough, discard and make a new batch.
- Safety - Always supervise young children when making or playing with play dough. Adults should handle the microwaving – always use a microwave safe bowl and handle with care, as the bowl may become hot. This play dough is considered taste-safe, meaning it isn’t harmful if tasted. However it doesn’t taste good and is NOT meant to be eaten.
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Stacey is the creator of The Soccer Mom Blog, a Houston Texas mom blog that focuses on positive living for women and families. She loves to share real food recipes, money-saving tips, parenting encouragement, kids activities, DIY tutorials, home hacks, fitness, and so much more! To get to know Stacey even better, click here.
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Scarlet says
This Halloween playdough was so fun for the kids. They loved the smooth dough and the festive decorations.