Play Doh Food Themed Puzzles

Do you need an easy way to keep the kids entertained? This play doh puzzle idea is perfect for challenging them with items you already have on hand!

It is no secret that we LOVE play doh! Homemade versions, ideas to play with it, and just the joy of squishing it in your hands! No matter how you do it, it is fun with play doh.

The kids have been out of school for a long time now; 6 weeks and counting. Keeping them learning, playing and happy has been a challenge. I have had to get creative in my efforts, but some of the best ideas are born out of idle time and basic supplies.

This play doh puzzle can be as challenging or easy you want it to be. We used play food because we have a lot of that.

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Supplies:

Play Doh

Several Play Foods

Directions:

Roll a can of play doh out until it covers about a 6 to 8" area

Press assorted play food into the play doh, leaving a little room in between the food to create impressions that you can match up.

After you have filled the play doh with imprints of play food, lay all play food around the play doh and invite your child to match up the play food to the imprint that the food left.

Repeat with more play food, or even other objects from around the house.
Make more imprints for more challenging puzzles, or fewer for an easier play experience.
We loved that we could make this fun for both kids without having to buy anything!

You can find all of my play doh ideas here

Reader favorites include:

Play Doh Flower Counting

Play Doh Multiplication

Prickly Play Doh Cactus

Are you looking for a fun project for older kids that something you probably already have at home? This prickly play doh cactus craft is awesome for tweens and teens and maybe even Mom or Dad too. Anyone who loves cacti will appreciate this easy and fun way to add a little cactus flair to your space.

I have always been a big fan of play doh. When I was a kid myself, I begged for it all the time. When I was a tween, I did every school project possible with play doh. As a twenty something, I made my much cooler friends roll their eyes at my play doh collection. Now I am a mom, and guess what? I STILL LOVE PLAY DOH! 

This project came about during an afternoon of missing the kids while they were at school. I started playing with green doh and here we are, making a cool, prickly play doh cactus.

Disclaimer. This is NOT a kid project. Do not do this with your toddlers, preschoolers, infants, or kindergartners. They will get hurt. 

Supplies:

A small terracotta pot

Green play doh

Toothpicks

A few rocks

Directions:

Fill half of your pot with rocks. 

 Shape your green play doh into a long lump.

Attach a few lumps to the sides, like the arms of a cactus.

Now, take about ten toothpicks and break them in half.

Start sticking the toothpicks into the play doh, like the little spikes of a cactus, insert them broken side into the doh.

As you can see, I thought a little purple flower was a nice touch. Feel free to vary this as you like.

Display on your desk, or on a shelf out of reach of little hands. Over time this will dry out. You can toss it, or keep it as is when that happens. It is a matter of preference.

If you liked this project check out all of my play doh projects.

Reader favorites include:

Toddler Play Doh Puzzles

Play Doh Pie Counting

I would be so grateful if you shared this post on social media, or pin it to your crafts for adults board.

Play Doh Pie Counting Activity

Play doh pies are the perfect way to make learning a hands on activity. Little learners will love getting a good grasp on counting and number recognition.

Harper is my go to girl for all things to make or bake. She loves to get involved in all of my projects.

We made a chocolate chip cookie pie a few weeks ago and she was hooked on pie making! She asked me everyday for a week if we could make another pie.

Finally, I came up with an idea that thrilled her and satisfied her desires to make a whole bunch of pies.

Play doh pies are great for fine motor play, rolling the dough into little balls is fun!

Adding a few wooden numbers turned the activity into a counting lesson too.

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Supplies:

A mason jar lid

Play doh

A play doh tool for cutting

Play food rolling pin

Directions:

Roll out a can of yellow play doh

Cut the doh to fit a mason jar lid to form your pie shell.

Use any leftover doh to cut strips. These will form your lattice crust.

Encourage your child to roll a can of play doh into small balls.

Select a number you want to work on counting to.

We decided on number 6.

Have your child count the selected number play doh balls to the pie shell.

Now have your child count the number of leftover crust strips.

Have your child add the selected number of lattice strips to the top of the pie.

Repeat with other numbers.

We loved this activity, it was easy to set up, encouraged learning and hands on play, and kept Harper busy for several afternoons. Play doh is our favorite learning tool these days!

If you are looking for more play doh ideas here are a few reader favorites:

Super Soft Hair Gel Play Dough 

Glitter Sunscreen Play Dough

Play Doh Lollipop Counting

Give early math lessons a sweet spin with this play dough lollipop counting activity. It  combines counting, fine motor skills and a touch of creativity to provide lots of hands on educational fun.

Play doh is my go to tool for hands on learning fun. There are so many ways to use it to learn. This play doh lollipop counting activity is fantastic because it uses basic supplies like craft sticks and play doh to create a math lesson little kids will love!

Supplies:
Assorted colors of play doh
Craft Sticks
Numbers or dice


Directions:
Invite your child to form the lollipops with a small bit of play doh and the craft sticks.
Encourage your child to pick a number from the pile or roll a dice.
Whichever number they come up with, encourage them to roll out that many itty bitty tiny balls of play doh in a different color.
Decorate the lollipops with the small balls of doh.
Repeat with more numbers for a hands on math lesson that works in fine motor skill work too!

You can find all of my play doh ideas here
Reader favorites include:
Play Doh Pie Counting
Play Doh Pre-writing
Play Doh Stamping

Play Doh Pre-Writing Activity

This play doh pre-writing activity is a fun way for preschoolers to work on letter recognition and writing while using their developing fine motor skills.

As we prepared for kindergarten, I wanted to make the process of learning the letters fun for Harper. We turned to our local discount store to find supplies. I came up with a really cute and easy way for her to practice her letters and see them printed too.

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Supplies:

• A bag of letter beads; I found mine at Dollar Tree.
• Play Doh
• A Pencil or Play Doh Tool for Writing

Directions:

Invite your child to flatten a can of play doh .
Ask your child to pick on letter bead from the bag of beads.
Encourage your child to write the letter in play doh using a pencil or play doh tool.
Instruct your child to find more beads in the same letter and place them around the letter they wrote in the play doh.
Repeat with more letters.

This was a fun hands on way to practice letter recognition, letter formation and fine motor skills. It was the perfect way to mix play time with learning.

You can find all of my play doh recipes and ideas here.

Favorites include:

Play Doh Pie Counting

Play Doh Ornaments

Play Doh Stamping Activity

Put your old scrap booking stamps to good use with this preschool play doh stamping activity.

It is no secret that we love play doh. From  using it as an early math tool, to making one of a kind Christmas ornaments. Play Doh is one of my favorite tools for preschoolers to learn with!

This activity was inspired by cleaning out my office, where I had a stash of scrap booking stamps collecting dust. I thought about tossing them in the Yard Sale box we keep going year round, but I had a better idea, they make a perfect play doh tool.

Supplies:
Play Doh
Scrap-booking stamps

Directions:
Invite your child to smash or roll a can of play doh out.
Offer an assortment of stamps and encourage them to stamp a scene.

This activity has kept Harper happily creating for weeks. She keeps a few stamps with her play doh collection and loves to pull them out and make unique scenes.

You can find all of my play doh ideas here.

Reader favorites include:

Play Doh Pie Counting

Play Doh Pre-writing Activity

Super Soft Playdough

This super soft playdough recipe is so easy to make. It requires no cooking and is made with a unique ingredient for squishable soft results.

Rolf and Harp are both crazy for play doh. They go through several cans a week on average. I tried making a scented play dough when they were smaller, but we found that it molded really fast. That was enough to make me not want to make it again for YEARS.

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Last week they needed play dough and the idea of going to the store for playdough to keep my sanity, because like I said, they NEEDED it (ie the little one was whining for it. Anyone ever see that old movie the Creepshow? Recall the old man chanting for cake? Harp was kinda like that but she was making a fuss for PLAY-DOH) made me feel a little overwhelmed.

Going to any store with a tired, demanding child sounds like the worst idea ever. So, I decided to just make it again and hope for better results.

I made this playdough with a bottle of cheap hair gel, because doesn't everyone have hair gel as a craft supply? The results are super soft and squishable.

Ingredients

1/2 cup of clear hair gel; the cheap stuff from the dollar store will work just fine!

1/4 cup of water

Neon Food Coloring

1- 1.5 cups of flour 

Directions

Place 1/4 cup of water and 1/2 cup of clear hair gel in medium size bowl.

Add 5 drops of neon food coloring to the liquid mixture.

Stir until well combined.

Add 1 cup of flour to the liquid.

Begin stirring until the contents begin to clump.

At this point, you will decide if you need to add additional flour. If the mixture feels sticky, add an additional 1/4 cup of flour, and continue to stir.

When the flour has been incorporated, test for stickiness. 

Add additional flour if needed

When the playdough is not sticky, it is ready to play with!

Store in an airtight container when not in use.

Find more crafts here:

10 Cute Tulip Projects

Glittery Sunscreen Playdough

 Mermaid Tail Craft

Play Doh Sea Snails

 Play doh is always a favorite play time tool at my house. There are just so many ways you can create with it! This play doh snail activity is so easy! Kids of all ages will love to grab a can of doh and a few favorite shells and get creating! 

Summer is near, and we are so glad. We have been virtually learning for about 15 months now and we are ready for a break. While the kids have less work to submit each day as the year dwindles down, we have more idle time than ever. I am NOT the mom who wants to entertain kids all day long (sorry guys!) so I turn to open ended creative ideas like this one a lot. It keeps the kids happy and gives me a chance to get some things done. 

Even my 11 year old had fun with this one. Rolf usually is too tween cool for any of my hands on play anymore, but this one was high interest and he got involved with his sister.

These play doh sea snails are awesome for rainy day play too. You only need 2 colors of play dough and a few shells to make the magic happen!

Supplies:

Sea shells 

2 or more colors of play dough

Instructions:

Invite the kids to roll out a color of doh for the body of the snail. Carefully insert one end of the rolled doh into the shell. Make sure the end is rolled thin, and don't force it too far into the shell.

Form some small antennae and attach to the head of the snail.

Add small details with a different color of play doh.

Repeat with more shells for a bunch of cute little friends!

This is such a fun activity for kids that requires so little in supplies. It is economical and easy, but can create more detailed creatures with a little patience and imagination.

You can find more fun play doh ideas here

Reader favorites 

Play Doh Food Puzzles for Toddlers

Play Doh Pie Counting

Design Your Own Play Doh Ornaments

Kids of all ages are sure to love this Design Your Own Play Doh Ornaments project. It is perfect for holiday crafting and turns out so cute everyone will love to display these!

I am crazy for all things play doh, so naturally I had to make something for Christmas from my favorite craft material. These ornaments are so easy! They will have you saying, who knew you could not only draw on play doh but you can bake it too?!

This post contains affiliate links. Making a purchase means I will earn a small advertising fee, at no cost to you.

These easy ornaments give kids a chance to design their own addition to the Christmas tree! Made with basic supplies this is the perfect project to do with the kids for minimal mess this holiday. 

You can make your own white play doh, like in my super soft play dough recipe, just leave the food color out, or to make this activity really easy during a generally already packed holiday season, just buy cans of white play doh.

To make these design your own play doh ornaments you will need
Supplies
white play doh
washable markers
cookie cutters
bakers twine
A pen or stick to poke a hole with

Directions

Roll the play doh out to be about 1/8" thick.

With your cookie cutter of choice cut shapes of doh.

Poke a hole in each ornament so that it can be hung after completion. I used an ink pen to make my holes.

Use washable markers to draw on the designs.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Allow to cool.

Thread bakers twine through the hole and display on your tree.

Find all of my Christmas crafts here
Reader favorites include:
Button Tree Ornaments
Mickey Mouse Jingle Bell Ornaments