Valentine’s Icing Play Dough and Free Recipe

Make a new Valentine’s sensory option for your little learners with this Valentine’s icing play dough recipe! It takes 2 ingredients and is safe for students who put things in their mouths. There are several academic and fun activities that you can do with this Valentine’s icing play dough.

Be sure to check out the Valentine’s Math and Literacy Centers, Valentine’s Fine Motor Mats FREEBIE, and Valentine’s STEM pack to complete the theme in your classroom!

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Valentine’s Icing Play Dough

Valentine’s Icing Play-Dough Recipe! To make the Valentine’s icing play dough, I put 1 cup of frosting and 2 cups of powdered sugar into a mixing bowl. I picked up my dry ingredients and frosting at the dollar store for this edible frosting play dough. Homemade play dough is a more cost-effective way to build fine motor skills and is so much fun for young children. 

I used a stand mixer, but a hand mixer will work, too. Mix until it pulls away from the bowl. Then, test it with your fingers: if it is sticky, add a little bit more powdered sugar, and if it is dry and crumbly, add more frosting. I just add until I get the right consistency of the play dough that I want. I like this homemade playdough better than a cook play dough recipe because it takes less time and makes less of a mess in my kitchen. 

You can use any kind of canned frosting for a variety of colors and scents. I like to use the Funfetti frosting because it has sprinkles included. You can let your students mix in the sprinkles, or you can mix them. They do start to soften the longer they are in the dough. Last year, I made vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate play dough. This way, I had different colours and a lot of play dough for kids of all ages in my room. 

Valentines Day Play Dough Activities

Candy Hearts Play Dough Activity! One option for sensory play is to add candy hearts to the play dough. Students can use the candy hearts like stamps to make shapes and designs in the play dough. Picking the candy hearts in and out of the dough is a great way to develop fine motor skills!

Heart Cookie Cutters! If you don’t want to add candy hearts, try cookie cutters. I gathered up some heart cookie cutters for students to push into the dough. I like that the cookie cutters have different textures on the outside.

Valentine’s Icing Play Dough Tray! You can set up a Valentine’s play dough plastic tray with plastic heart beads (from Micheal’s), letter manipulatives, play dough tools like a rolling pin, spatulas, scissors, heart pony beads, heart cookie cutters, silicone cupcake liners, and candy trays from chocolate boxes. 

Build Names! Young kids can use letter beads to build their names and their classmates’ names in the icing play dough cookies. Using a rolling pin is great fine motor practice with this edible playdough recipe. 

Build Sight Words! If you are working with older students or need a harder activity, try building sight words! When students push the letter manipulatives into the dough, it leaves their imprint for another chance to read the sight word. The amazing smell is also something I love about these sensory activities. 

This Valentine’s icing play dough is so easy to stir up for your classroom and gives them a new sensory play experience! This homemade playdough recipe would be much fun for an ice cream play dough during an ice cream theme! Be sure to store it in a sealed bag or airtight container to help it last longer. I like to use a zippered bag so that students can put it away and get it out on their own. The length it will last depends on how much play and time spent out of the container. I just store it at room temperature.

Click the images below Valentine’s-themed printables for your classroom.

Grab these FREE playdough mats for Valentine’s sensory materials.

Check out these posts for more Valentine’s Day activities and ideas!

Check out this video to see the Valentine’s icing play dough in action!

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