Aromatherapy Playdough Sensory Set
Make four batches of playdough scented with coffee, cinnamon, rose, and mint — your child sculpts while learning to identify and describe scents.
What You'll Need
- 1Flour, salt, cream of tartar, oil, water (for dough)
- 2Instant coffee grounds
- 3Ground cinnamon
- 4Rose water
- 5Dried mint leaves (crushed)
- 6Food coloring (brown, tan, pink, green)
- 7Zip bags for storage
What You'll Need
Standard playdough ingredients: flour, salt, cream of tartar, oil, boiling water
Instant coffee grounds, ground cinnamon, rose water, and dried crushed mint
Food coloring: brown, tan, pink, green
Labeled zip bags
How to Play
Make four batches of playdough, scenting each differently: coffee, cinnamon, rose, mint.
Color-code them: brown for coffee, tan for cinnamon, pink for rose, green for mint.
Seal in labeled bags and let cool completely.
Present all four and ask your child to smell and guess each scent. No peeking at labels.
Let them choose one to sculpt with. After a while, switch to a different scent.
Ask: "How does the cinnamon one smell different from the coffee? Which is your favorite?"
Challenge a multi-scent sculpture — a flower with rose petals, a mint stem, coffee soil, and cinnamon bark.
Tips
Coffee dough smells incredibly realistic and has a gorgeous earthy brown color from the grounds.
Crushed dried mint leaves give the dough both scent and visual speckled texture.
The warmth of kneading releases more scent, so the smell gets stronger as your child plays.
Challenge them to describe each scent using three words. This builds descriptive vocabulary.
Store separately in sealed bags — the scents stay strong for about a week.
Age Adaptation Tips
School-age kids can take more ownership. Let them lead the activity, experiment with variations, and explain what they learned.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does this activity take?
This activity takes about 30 min, with 15 min of preparation time beforehand.
What materials do I need?
You'll need: flour, salt, cream of tartar, oil, water (for dough), instant coffee grounds, ground cinnamon, rose water, dried mint leaves (crushed), and 2 more items.
What age is this activity for?
This activity is designed for 5-8 years. You can adapt it for younger or older children by adjusting the complexity.
Can this be done indoors?
This activity is designed for indoor play, making it perfect for rainy days or when you're staying inside.
How difficult is this activity?
This activity has a moderate difficulty level. It may require some preparation or guidance, but is manageable for most families.
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