Get ready for a world of fun right at your fingertips! Imagine the delight on your child’s face as they discover they can make their very own silly putty with just two simple ingredients from the kitchen. This recipe is so easy and safe that my 5.5-year-old was able to dive right in and make it herself, under a watchful eye. The magic of turning everyday items into a playful substance sparks not only excitement but also a sense of achievement. As she mixed and molded her creation, her independence shone through, showcasing the empowering nature of this activity. It’s a fantastic opportunity to engage in a project that not only entertains but also educates, making it a perfect blend of fun and learning for young explorers.
READ MORE… 21 TWO-INGREDIENT SENSORY PLAY RECIPES FOR KIDS
Activity Overview
- Age Suitability: This craft is good for toddlers aged children 3 years old and up with adult assistance.
- Mess Level: The mess level for this craft is medium.
- Difficulty to Create: Low.
READ MORE… 35+ TASTE SAFE SENSORY PLAY IDEAS & RECIPES FOR BABIES & TODDLERS
How to Make 2-Ingredient Silly Putty
To make this silly putty you will need cornstarch and dish soap. You don’t really need to add food colouring. The silly putty will take on the colour of your dish soap. So if your dish soap is green (like ours was), your silly putty will be green. If it’s blue, your silly putty will be blue.
In a mixing bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of dish liquid. Mix the two together until all the ingredients have been combined.
Pick your silly putty up in your hands and start to work the ingredients in together. If the silly putty is sticking to your hands: create a little ball, push your finger into the middle to create a bowl. Fold in a small amount of cornstarch (pea-sized amount) into the middle of your silly putty bowl, close it and work it in with your hands. Do this until the silly putty no longer sticks to your hands. Adding a very small amount each time.
If the silly putty is too dry: create a little ball, push your finger into the middle to create a bowl. Fold in a small amount of dish liquid (pea-sized amount) into the middle of your silly putty bowl and work it in with your hands. Do this until the silly putty no longer sticks to your hands.
You have achieved the desired consistency of silly putty when it is moldable and soft and doesn’t stick to your hands.
Storing Your Silly Putty
Store your silly putty in a ziplock bag. When you want to play with it again, fold in a pea-sized amount of dish soap and work it in with your hands until the desired consistency returns.
Supplies
- Cornstarch
- Dish Liquid
- Mixing bowl
- Spoon
Play2Learn Toddler & Preschool Programs for Curious Toddlers
There is no limit to your toddler’s energy and curiosity. That energy and curiosity although a joy can be challenging at times. Their interest in just about everything around them is what makes them great learners. One and two year olds can soak up so much just from their senses!
But as a teacher or parent that thirst for learning can be exhausting. That is why I created this toddler and preschooler program. To help you get the most out of this time with your curious toddler without having to come up with creative ways to play and interact with them.
Play2Learn for Toddlers includes 20 Units for toddlers. Each 2-week toddler unit has 20 super easy to set up and engaging activities for toddlers 18 months to 3 years.
Play2Learn Preschool which includes 20 Units for preschoolers. Each 2-week preschoolers unit has 20 unique and easy to set up and engaging activities for preschoolers 3 years to 5 years. That’s over 800 learning activities for your toddler and preschooler at your fingertips! So many ideas you and your child will never be bored again!
These toddler and preschool lesson plans and activities will definitely keep you and your toddler and preschooler busy playing and learning!
Click here for more information: Play2Learn
Book: Exciting Sensory Bins for Curious Kids
Did you know I wrote a book of sensory bins? Click here for more information Exciting Sensory Bin for Curious Kids. Or grab your copy at Amazon.
Boring afternoons are made exciting with awesome animal-based bins, like Salty Shark Bay or Yarn Farm. Pretend play bins like Birthday Cake Sensory Play or Bubble Tea Party encourage creativity and imagination. And your kids will have so much fun they won’t even know they’re getting smarter with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities like Sink or Float Soup, Magnetic Letter Hunt or Ice Cream Scoop and Count.
Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.
Book: Super STEAM Activity Book for Kids
Learning all about science, technology, engineering, art, and math sets kids up for scholastic success―and it can be so much fun! Watch kids enjoy building STEAM skills as they color friendly fish, help water find its way to tree roots, solve math problems with mazes, and more.
Find out more and grab your copy here.
Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.
Book: Big Book of Riddles for Kids
Riddle me this: What’s an exciting way to practice critical thinking while having a blast? The Big Riddle Book for Kids, of course! From hilarious puns to tough brain teasers, kids can build problem-solving skills with hundreds of riddles tha. t show them how to think outside the box.
- 350 riddles for kids—Have hours of fun with riddles, puns and jokes, and math and logic puzzles that’ll get their wheels turning!
- Level up their skills—Riddles get trickier as kids progress through the book, challenging them as they get better at solving puzzles!
- Double-check their work—Kids can check their answers in the back of the book with a handy answer key.
Help children expand their minds while having fun with this puzzle book for kids!
Designed for kids ages 6 years old and up.
TV Show: Curious Crafting
I’m so excited to share my crafting TV show Curious Crafting which launched in July 2022 on TVOkids and TVOkids YouTube! Season 2 aired in August 2023! My show was also nominated in 2023 for Best Live Action Preschool Series by the Youth Media Alliance Awards of Excellence.
Curious Crafting Season 1 is also now airing in Australia on ABC! Watch it here!
Set in the ultimate crafting space, Curious Crafting is a short form pre-school age series about the joy of making crafts. I lead a rotating cast of adorable little preschoolers (including my own) making magic out of common household objects.
In each episode we transform recycled items into magical crafts like a milk carton school bus, paper bag puppet or cotton pad turtle. The crafters learn and laugh their way through each activity while demonstrating what their young imaginations can create.
Curious Crafting shares the adventure and joy of making art with takeaway lessons for creating crafts at home.
This show designed for toddlers and preschoolers 2.5 years old and up.
How to Make Silly Putty with only 2-Ingredients Summary
Materials
- Cornstarch
- Dish Liquid
- Mixing bowl
- Spoon
Instructions
- To make this silly putty you will need cornstarch and dish soap. You don't really need to add food colouring. The silly putty will take on the colour of your dish soap. So if your dish soap is green (like ours was), your silly putty will be green. If it’s blue, your silly putty will be blue.
- In a mixing bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of dish liquid. Mix the two together until all the ingredients have been combined.
- Pick your silly putty up in your hands and start to work the ingredients in together. If the silly putty is sticking to your hands: create a little ball, push your finger into the middle to create a bowl. Fold in a small amount of cornstarch (pea-sized amount) into the middle of your silly putty bowl, close it and work it in with your hands. Do this until the silly putty no longer sticks to your hands. Adding a very small amount each time.
- If the silly putty is too dry: create a little ball, push your finger into the middle to create a bowl. Fold in a small amount of dish liquid (pea-sized amount) into the middle of your silly putty bowl and work it in with your hands. Do this until the silly putty no longer sticks to your hands.
WILL YOU TRY THIS TWO-INGREDIENT SILLY PUTTY RECIPE WITH YOUR TODDLER OR PRESCHOOLER? Pin it for later!
can you make a video so me and my kid can understand it better?
?
Sorry you’re having trouble. Check out this video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8xLNVCwp6rs
What a great idea!! We’ve made “oobleck” before, but this was a fun new texture to try. My toddler had fun using our small circle cookie cutters with it! 🙂
Yah!! I’m so glad they enjoy it!!