How To Make Simple Cloud Dough With Lotion (No Cook and Easy)
Cloud dough is soft, fun, and perfect for kids. Learn how you can make this simple cloud playdough recipe with only 2 basic ingredients in a few minutes.
This sensory activity for kids was originally published in September 2023. This post was recently updated in March 2026 with more straightforward instructions.
Our family loves exploring these delightful sensory materials that don’t require any cooking. From traditional Oobleck to slow cooker playdough, our children love to keep their hands busy.
What is cloud dough?
Cloud dough is a term used to describe super soft homemade playdough. You can make this sensory activity with conditioner or lotion. Our recipe below will show you how to use lotion and cornstarch to make your dough.
Little hands can easily manipulate, squeeze, and sculpt this soft playdough recipe. Sometimes, other people may refer to this 2-ingredient dough as “moon dough”.
Difference Between Cloud Dough and Playdough
While some homemade playdough recipes can be soft and stretchy, this typically is not as stiff as traditional playdough.
Supplies You’ll Need
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Notes
- We have found that unscented lotion works best, but you can use whatever lotion you have on hand.
- Make sure you choose the proper lotion for your child. If they have sensitive skin, I would use a lotion that you know will work for them.
- This pack of gel food coloring is great for all sorts of crafts.
How To Make Cloud Dough
NOTE: You can easily modify the amount of materials used to make different quantities. The amounts listed below made plenty for both kids to play with and to make different colors.
Step 1: Add Lotion To A Bowl
Add 1 cup lotion or baby lotion to a medium-sized mixing bowl.
Step 2: Mix In The Cornstarch
Slowly add 2 cups of cornstarch to the mixing bowl.
Step 3: Keep Mixing
After a minute you should be able to start to knead the ingredients together.
Step 4: Form A Ball
The dough should be moldable and feel like a softer homemade playdough. It also should not be sticking to your hands.
Optional: Add Color
If you want different colors split your total amount of dough up into smaller mixing bowls. You can add a few drops of food coloring.
Tips
- 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 lotion at a time. Knead in between to get your desired consistency.
Color Adding Tips
- You can add regular food coloring to the lotion before adding the cornstarch. This helps eliminate having dyed hands.
- You could also put small amounts of cloud dough into plastic bags, then add color to each bag. Your children will love mixing colors with this no-mess idea.
- When mixing the colors, use the back of the spoon at first and not your hands.
SAFETY ALERT: Cloud Dough is generally safe, but is not meant to be consumed. Please monitor children to ensure they do not put this in their mouths.
FAQs About Cloud Dough
We have seen how-tos where they use hair conditioner in place of body lotion.
Yes, by mixing the cloud dough first, you can add different food coloring drops. To get the tie-dye effect, you won’t mix the color in completely. If you overmix it, your colors will just blend together. Just note that after a while of playing with the dough, the colors will mix together.
Homemade cloud dough can last for a few days in an airtight container or sealed plastic bag. We were able to continue playing with ours for about 4 days afterward.
Your cloud dough has too much cornstarch. Add a small amount of lotion (about 1/2 teaspoon) of lotion and knead it into the mixture until you have a moldable consistency and smooth texture.
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More Sensory Play Activities
- How To Make Oobleck Without Cornstarch
- 6 Clay Animal Sculpture Ideas For Kids
- Fun Food Sculpture Art Project: Uses our favorite no-mess material.
Let us know how your homemade silky cloud dough turned out! We would love to see the sensory play in action.
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Cloud Dough With Lotion Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- 2 Small Bowls optional if making extra colors
Supplies
- 2 cups Cornstarch
- 1 cup Lotion unscented works best
- Food Coloring optional: gel food coloring will give the most vibrant colors
Instructions
- Add the lotion to the bowl.
- Optional: Add a few drops lotion to the bowl.
- Slowly add cornstartch to mixture.
- Use a spoon first to mix together and then your hands to knead the materials together.
- Add small amounts of lotion or cornstarch to get your desired consistency. After 1 minute, you should have a soft playdough to work with.
Notes
-
- 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.
- You can add regular food coloring to the lotion before adding the cornstarch.
- Cloud dough can also be made with conditioner instead of lotion.