Scented Playdough Bakery Pretend Play
Make batches of scented playdough — chocolate, lemon, peppermint — and let your child run a pretend bakery, shaping cookies and cakes that smell amazing.
What You'll Need
- 1Flour, salt, cream of tartar, vegetable oil, water (for playdough)
- 2Cocoa powder
- 3Lemon extract
- 4Peppermint extract
- 5Food coloring (brown, yellow, green)
- 6Rolling pin and cookie cutters
- 7Muffin tin and cupcake liners
What You'll Need
Homemade playdough ingredients: flour, salt, cream of tartar, oil, water
Cocoa powder, lemon extract, and peppermint extract for scenting
Food coloring: brown, yellow, green
Rolling pins and cookie cutters
A muffin tin and cupcake liners
How to Play
Make three batches of playdough and scent each one: cocoa powder for chocolate, lemon extract for lemon, peppermint for mint.
Color each batch to match — brown, yellow, green.
Set up a bakery station with rolling pins, cutters, muffin tins, and cupcake liners.
Invite your child to be the head baker. Their job: create delicious baked goods.
Let them roll, cut, shape, and fill cupcake liners with scented dough.
Ask: "What flavor is that one? What does it smell like? How much does it cost?"
Take turns being baker and customer. Order a chocolate cake and watch them make it.
Tips
The scented dough adds olfactory input that plain playdough doesn't offer. Smell is the most underused sense in sensory play.
Cocoa powder playdough looks and smells incredibly realistic. Remind your child not to eat it — the salt content makes it taste terrible.
This activity combines sensory play with rich pretend play and language practice — your child will narrate, describe, and sell their creations.
Try adding dried flower petals or sprinkles (the real kind) as cake decorations.
Store each scented batch in a separate sealed bag — the scents last about a week.
Age Adaptation Tips
Preschoolers can follow multi-step instructions. Ask open-ended questions and encourage them to predict what will happen next.
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, vegetable oil, water (for playdough), cocoa powder, lemon extract, peppermint extract, food coloring (brown, yellow, green), and 2 more items.
What age is this activity for?
This activity is designed for 3-5 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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