Easy and Fun Cloud Dough Recipe with Conditioner and Cornstarch

You already know I’m always on the lookout for easy, fun new sensory play recipes. So when my sister suggested we try out a cloud dough recipe with conditioner and cornstarch, I was all in. And this one did not disappoint!

If you’ve been here for a while, you might have heard me talk about the benefits of sensory play before. Sensory play is great for fine motor skills, emotional regulation, creativity and imagination, and so much more. Plus, it’s fun!

I’ll tell you exactly what you need to make this cloud dough recipe, as well as a few tips and tricks to minimize the mess and get the perfect cloud dough consistency!

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Materials Needed

½ cup hair conditioner
Approx. 1 ¼ cup cornstarch
Optional: Food coloring or glitter for customization (we didn’t use either)
Bowl and spoon for mixing

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Easy Cloud Dough Recipe

Measure out your hair conditioner and cornstarch. I started with 1 cup of cornstarch, and our dough was very sticky. I ended up using closer to 1 ¼ cup.
Mix the two ingredients in a bowl until they become difficult to mix. If your dough is sticky, add more cornstarch.
If desired, add a few drops of food coloring or glitter for extra fun. We didn’t add anything extra to ours and it was still awesome!
Knead the dough with your hands until smooth and pliable.
Adjust the texture:
- Add more cornstarch if it’s too sticky.
- Add more conditioner if it’s too crumbly.

Time to Play!

We had four kids who enjoyed this activity, ranging from age 22 months to almost 8 years old. The older two (my daughter Ella, who is almost 6, and my nephew TJ, who’s almost 8), loved helping make the cloud dough! They had fun mixing and watching the dough come together. And all four kids love squeezing, kneading, making shapes, and playing with the dough!

Tips and Tricks

We grabbed our conditioner from Dollar Tree and used cornstarch I already had from Walmart. Our conditioner was apple scented, which means our cloud dough is apple scented! Yum!
You can store cloud dough in an airtight container and it should last for up to 3 months. If you find that yours dries out, try adding an extra squirt of conditioner and kneading until smooth.

Safety and Cleanup

Safety reminder: Always supervise young children to prevent ingestion. Since this recipe includes conditioner, it is not taste safe! My younger daughter, Ruthie, is 22 months old. She did a great job not putting the cloud dough in her mouth. You know your child best, though – if they tend to put everything in their mouth, hold off on this one!
Mess factor: I didn’t lay anything down on our surface to prevent a mess. We did have a little bit of mess afterwards, but the cleanup was easy. I used wet paper towels and Clorox wipes, and everything wiped up easily, and I swept up the crumbly cornstarch that ended up on the floor. If you want to avoid the mess altogether, try laying down a shower curtain on your workspace, or even doing this activity outdoors.

More Sensory Play Ideas

If you enjoy this cloud dough recipe, be sure to check out some of my other fun sensory play ideas!

Conclusion

This recipe really was easy and fun to make, and the cloud dough has an addicting consistency that is so fun to play with and squeeze! Will you try making this recipe at home? I would LOVE to hear about it! Comment below or tag me on Instagram to tell me how your cloud dough came out!