Gingerbread play dough

Use gingerbread play dough for the ultimate hands-on, sensory fine-motor building experience for kids.

You'll Need

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup salt
  • 2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1 TBSP ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground clove
  • 2 TBSP vegetable oil
  • 1 cup water

By Becca Ross
Kindergarten & First Grade Teacher

Becca is a schoolteacher and blogs at homeiswheremystorybegins.com. She loves to cook, bake, garden, sew, quilt, teach and simply spend time with her family. She strives to find art in everyday things.

We change out our play dough on a monthly basis in my classroom. Apple pie and pumpkin spice play dough started out the year. Gingerbread play dough will be next in the rotation. I love changing out the cookie cutters and adding a few thematic books to the center as well. The obvious choice for books to accompany the gingerbread play dough and cookie cutters will be a few classic gingerbread stories.

How to make gingerbread play dough

  1. In a medium saucepan, stir together dry ingredients. Add the water and oil. Stir together.
  2. Cook the mixture over low-medium heat until a thick dough forms. Turn dough onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth. For home use, a single batch is fine. For a classroom, I usually make a double batch.
  3. Add cookie cutters and rolling pins to make a gingerbread bakery! Decorations for the gingerbread men can be whole cloves and whole allspice.

Gingerbread books for further inspiration

  • Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett
  • The Gingerbread Girl by Lisa Campbell Ernst
  • Gingerbread Girl Goes Animal Crackers by Lisa Campbell Ernst