XO Play Dough Valentine

Looking for a Valentine’s Day alternative to candy? This XO Dough is a fun, hands-on gift that kids will actually play with. It’s easy to personalize with food dye, glitter, or letter-beads to spell the name of your special someone. I added dried lavender to my recipe, to give the dough a more tactile and calming effect.

Why This Activity Is Great for Kids:

• Rolling, pinching, kneading and shaping dough supports fine motor development.

• The textures and scents of homemade play dough provide rich sensory input.

• Measuring ingredients, mixing, and observing changes in texture builds early math and science skills.

Materials for Homemade Play Dough:

• 2 cups flour

• ½ cup salt

• 2 tbsp cream of tartar

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

• 1 cup boiling water

• Optional: Pink food dye and dried lavender

For Assembling:

• 2inch plastic containers

• Cardstock

• XO Dough valentine tag with circle cut-out, or xo dough valentine card

• 4” x 6” Cellophane bags

• Label Maker

• Scissors or circle punch if using the circle cut-out tag.

• Optional: Glitter, letter beads, essential oils or other sensory add-ins

Directions

1. Mix dry ingredients together.

2. Stir vegetable oil into the dry mixture.

3. Slowly pour in boiling water, adding a little at a time.

4. Mix until the dough begins to form.

5. Place dough onto a surface and knead for a few minutes.

6. Once soft and pliable, add food dye (you might want to wear latex gloves to avoid staining your hands).

7. Mix in sensory items like letter beads (spell a classmate’s name!), glitter, or scented dried flowers/essential oils.

8. Divide dough into plastic containers.

9. Optional: Use a label maker to write “XO Dough.”

10. Print tags onto heavy card-stock paper. Cut out tags and assemble the xo dough valentine.

11. Place in cellphone bags.

💌Valentine’s Day Bonus:

Purchase Everyone’s An Artist and receive a free coloring sheet and handmade heart crayon.

Age Recommendations for homemade play dough:

Ages 2–3:

• Ault-prepared dough; supervised sensory play only.

Ages 4–6:

• Help mix, knead, and decorate with supervision

Ages 6+:

• Can assist with most steps (except boiling water)

Always supervise young children, especially when using small add-ins like beads or glitter!