Easy Calming Lavender Cloud Dough Recipe
Check out this super easy lavender cloud dough recipe! It is the perfect way to bring a calmness to your kids through sensory play.
If you’re looking for a soft, calming, and easy-to-make sensory play activity, this Lavender Cloud Dough is perfect!
Not only is it incredibly fun for toddlers, but the gentle scent of lavender also promotes relaxation and mindfulness—making it a great activity for winding down after a busy day.
This is literally my FAVORITE activity to do with my toddlers. They enjoy creating their hearts out, I enjoy the time they are quiet and calm. It is crazy how one drop of lavender essential oil and some lavender flowers helps them be SO calm.
Here is how to make your own homemade lavender cloud dough!
Why You’ll Love Lavender Cloud Dough
Here is why you and your toddler will love using this lavender cloud dough recipe:
✨ Soft & Fluffy Texture – Feels like a mix of playdough and kinetic sand, making it irresistible to little hands.
🌿 Naturally Calming – The soothing lavender scent helps relax toddlers and creates a mindful play experience.
🎨 Fun Sensory Exploration – Engages touch, smell, and sight with soft dough, floral bits, and a light purple hue.
🖐️ Strengthens Fine Motor Skills – Squishing, molding, and pinching the dough helps develop hand strength.
💜 Easy & Budget-Friendly – Made with simple household ingredients and takes just minutes to create!
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How to Make Lavender Cloud Dough
Here is how to make your own DIY lavender cloud dough:
Materials You’ll Need:
✔️ 1 cup cornstarch
✔️ ½ cup conditioner (any kind works!)
✔️ Purple food dye (about 6 drops)
✔️ Lavender essential oil (1 drop for a light scent)
✔️ Dried or fresh lavender flowers
Step-by-Step Instructions:
In a bowl, combine cornstarch and conditioner. Stir with a spoon or hands until the mixture starts to form a dough.
It may seem crumbly at first, but keep kneading—it will soon form a soft, moldable dough.
Drop in purple food dye and mix until evenly distributed.
Add 1 drop of lavender essential oil and mix again to spread the calming aroma.
Gently fold in dried or fresh lavender flowers for an extra sensory boost.
Let your toddler squish, mold, and explore the dough for relaxing, screen-free playtime.
Tips:
- You can add more drops of essential oil, but I found one drop to give the perfect amount of smell.
- I used about 6 drops of purple food dye to get this look.
- I used fresh lavender flowers, but artificial ones work too.
- Any conditioner works.
Ways to Make This Activity Even More Fun
🌸 Make Flower Prints – Use flower petals or cookie cutters to create pretty imprints.
🎭 Role Play Baking – Give your child play kitchen tools to “bake” pretend lavender cookies. My kids especially loved doing this!
🖌️ Sensory Art – Flatten the dough and let your toddler draw designs in it with their fingers or a stick.
Mindful Sensory Play Tips
Encourage your toddler to slow down and engage fully with the experience:
💜 Take deep breaths while inhaling the lavender scent.
💜 Talk about textures – “Is the dough soft or squishy?”
💜 Describe the scent – “Does this smell like fresh flowers or a cozy bedtime?”
Benefits of Lavender Cloud Dough
Here are a few of the many benefits of this homemade lavender cloud dough:
- Relaxation: The lavender scent can help toddlers unwind, making this activity great for quiet afternoons or pre-bedtime play.
- Creative Play: Molding and shaping the dough sparks creativity and imagination.
- Fine Motor Skills: Scooping, pinching, and molding help develop fine motor skills and hand strength.
- Mindfulness: The calming scent and tactile engagement encourage your toddler to focus on the present moment.
If you love making sensory bins and bottles for your toddlers, you will love all these sensory play ideas!
Final Thoughts
This Lavender Cloud Dough is a beautiful, calming sensory experience that helps toddlers explore textures, scents, and creativity.
Whether used for mindful play, relaxation, or bedtime wind-down, this dough is a must-try for every toddler parent!
Check out these other fun playdough recipes:
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