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Easy Cloud Dough Recipe With Conditioner

Are you looking for a fun and inexpensive sensory activity? Follow our step-by-step instructions to create your own batch of this easy 2-ingredient, no-cook cloud dough!

lilttle kids hands holding different pastel colored playdoughs.

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Our family is no stranger to boredom busters. We love experimenting with different sensory play activities like baby powder Oobleck and easy air dry clay projects.

What is cloud dough?

Cloud dough is a term used to describe super soft homemade playdough. You can make cloud dough with lotion, conditioner or baby oil. Our recipe below will show you how to make different colored cloud dough with conditioner, cornstarch and food coloring (optional).

stacks of white playdough on top of each other.

Moon Dough vs. Cloud Dough

Some people will say that they are the same thing, however, they may differ in ingredients and textures.

Moon dough is typically made from a combination of cornstarch and a type of oil or fat, such as vegetable oil. Cloud Dough is typically made from cornstarch or even flour and lotion or conditioner.

Regardless of what you call it, these recipes are super fun for kids to experience.

conditioner in measuring cup, food coloring and cornstarch bag on table.

Recommended Supplies

  • Bowls For Mixing: we repeated the recipe 3 times in different bowls to make 3 different colors.
  • 2/3 cups Cornstarch
  • 1/3 cup Hair Conditioner: We have found that unscented works best, but you can use whatever you have on hand
  • Optional: Food Coloring

How To Make Conditioner Cloud Dough

Note: You can easily modify the amount of materials used. Use different bowls to make different colors at the same time.

Step 1: Add Lotion To Mixing Bowl

Add 1/3 cup hair conditioner to 3 different small bowls.

Make sure to take into account any allergies before choosing your conditioner.

Optional Step: Add Food Coloring

Add a few drops of food coloring into each bowl of lotion and mix. By doing this now, you will save your hands from getting messy.

white conditioner with drops of blue and red food coloring in white bowl.

Learn From Our Mistake

Regular food coloring will work better when added directly to the conditioner. You can see how the gel coloring was a little speckly and needed to be mixed more once the cornstarch was added.

red and blue food coloring mixed into white substance in bowl.

Feel free to experiment with colors and scents by adding food coloring or essential oils to customize your cloud dough

Step 2: Mix In Cornstarch To Bowl

Slowly add 1 cup of cornstarch to each bowl of lotion. Knead the ingredients together.

spoon in bowl with mixed blue cornstrach and conditioner.

Keep Mixing

After one minute, the dough should be moldable and feel like a softer homemade playdough. It also should not be sticking to your hands.

hand holding crumbly cloud dough.
You can see that this was a little dry.

Knead the dough until is soft and moldable without crumbling.

child's hand holding light blue cloud dough.

Tips For Mixing

  • The amounts of materials needed may vary based on the type and brand of conditioner you are using.
  • If you are having trouble with a sticky mess, use the back of the spoon to push this playdough back together.
  • If it is too wet, add additional cornstarch to get a good mix.
  • If your cloud dough is too dry, add a 1/2 teaspoon of conditioner at a time. Knead in between to get your desired consistency.

Safety Tips

  • Cloud dough is generally safe, but it’s not meant for consumption. Monitor your youngest children to make sure that they are not putting this in their mouths.
  • Be cautious if anyone has allergies before letting them play.
  • It’s a good idea to play with cloud dough on a surface that’s easy to clean, as it can get a bit messy. Playing with this outside is always a great idea!

Clean-up Tips

  • If the dough starts to “dry” out. You can clump it back together.
  • Put a little bit of lotion or conditioner on your hands to help collect the dried pieces.
  • Have your children work in one space and then just simply vacuum up the rest once it dries up.

Cloud Dough FAQs

How do you store cloud dough?

It can last for a few days in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. We were able to continue to play with ours for about 4 days after.

What are other ways to make cloud dough?

We have seen how-tos where they use lotion, baby oil, or baby lotion hair or shampoo in place of conditioner.

Is there a difference between lotion or conditioner cloud dough?

Our children did not seem to notice any difference when playing with the conditioner cloud dough or the lotion cloud dough. They had fun with both sensory materials!

Follow us on Pinterest, YouTube, or Flipboard for more free art and craft ideas!

More Sensory Play Activities

Regardless of the ingredients you chose to make your cloud dough, we know that your kids love sculpting, squeezing, and imagining.

Do you like this art project? Please give us 5 stars below 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩 and have fun being creative with your family.

Cloud Dough Recipe With Conditiioner

Learn how to make this different colored, no cook cloud dough recipe using conditioner.
Print Tutorial
lilttle kids hands holding different pastel colored playdoughs.
Prep:5 minutes
Creating:2 minutes
Total Time:7 minutes

Equipment

  • Small Mixing Bowls 1 bowl for each color you are making

Supplies

Instructions

  • Add 1/3 conditioner to each bowl.
  • Optional: Add a few drops of different food colorings to each bowl.
  • Slowly add 2/3 cups of cornstarch to each bowl.
  • Use a spoon first to mix together and then your hands to knead the materials together.
  • Add small amounts of conditioner or cornstarch to get your desired consistency. After 1 minute, you should have a soft playdough to work with.

Notes

  • After one minute of kneading, the dough should be moldable and feel like a softer homemade playdough. It also should not be sticking to your hands.
  • If it is too wet, add a small amount of cornstarch and kneed together again.
  • If it is too dry, add a 1/2 teaspoon of lotion and knead. 
  • You may need to slowly adjust the recipe to get your desired consistency depending on the exact type conditioner used.
Author: Erin
Cost: under $2

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