Tactile Recipes for Children
Do you have young children or children who love sensory play?

I just found these Young Living blogs on how to make natural playdough, finger paint, moon sand and slime. I have added a few extra tactile recipes that I have made in the past.

Which essential oil is your favourite to add to a tactile recipe?

Playdough

Ingredients:
  • 2 cups corn starch
  • 1 cup KidScents Lotion or Lavender Conditioner
Instructions
1. Place the corn starch in a large bowl.
2. Mix in the Lotion or Conditioner with clean hands until it holds together and becomes very smooth.
3. Add cornflour or lotion to adjust the consistency as needed.
4. Children can press the dough into moulds, roll it out and cut it with cookie cutters, or sculpt it into any shape they can imagine!
5. Store in an airtight container when not in use.
 6. To add colours, see below.

aromatherapy how to make homemade finger paints

Fingerpaint Recipe One

This finger paint recipe is super easy to make and takes only four ingredients. We’re willing to bet you have them in your cupboard already. Prep the paint while the children nap or involve tweens and teens in the creating process too!
Ingredients
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1½ cups salt
  • 1─3 cups water
  • Natural colouring – see below
  • 10 drops Lavender essential oil
Instructions
1. Combine flour and salt in a bowl.
2. Add 1 cup of water and stir to mix. Continue to slowly add water a little bit at a time until the paint reaches a liquid consistency with no lumps. You may not need to use the full 3 cups—just use enough to make the paint pourable.
3. Add your desired essential oils and mix in.
4. Separate paint into smaller containers to add food colouring.
5. Store in an airtight container when not in use.
 

Fingerpaint Recipe Two

Here is an alternative recipe.
Ingredients:
  • 2 cups cornflour
  • 1 cup cold water
  • ½ cup Lux Flakes
  • Food colouring
  • Essential oil of your choice
Instructions:
  1. Mix cornflour and cold water.
  2. Add boiling water until mixture ‘grabs’.
  3. Stir until smooth.
  4. Add Lux flakes, food colouring and essential oil.
 

Moon Sand

Ingredients
  • 2 ½ cups fine sand – from craft store
  • 1 ½ cups corn starch
  • ½ cups coconut oil or olive oil
  • Natural food colouring (optional)
  • 5–8 drops KidScents® KidCare™ essential oil or an essential oil of your choice
Instructions:
1. Add sand and corn starch to a bowl and sift thoroughly until they are combined.
2. Add food colouring drops and mix until colour is incorporated.
3. Add in oil gradually, stirring until the mixture forms a dense sand.
4. Get your hands in the mixture and start to knead and mould.
5. Add drops of essential oil and mix until combined.
 6. Play away!
How do you store moon sand?
To keep your DIY sand fresh, store in an airtight container or reusable storage bag. Keep in a cool, dry place for up to a month. 
Is your scent fading? Add 5–10 drops of any family-friendly essential oil to bring your moon sand back to life.
 
use household ingredients to make essential oil slime

Slime

There is a different recipe available using the above link, but I prefer this recipe.
Ingredients:
  • 4 cups boiling water
  • 1 cup Lux Flakes
  • Natural food colour of your choice
  • Essential oil of your choice eg. Geneyus, Lemon, Lavender, Frankincense
Instructions:
  1. Mix in glass bowl.
  2. Allow to cool before use.
  3. Store in air tight container.
 Here is another recipe for DIY slime.

Magic Mud

This recipe feels so incredible to touch.
Ingredients:
  • 3 tbsp cornflour
  • Water
  • Food colouring
  • Essential oil
Instructions:
  1. Add a little water to the cornflour to form a ball.
  2. Add food colouring and essential oil.
  3. Mix on table as it changes consistency depending on the amount of water added.
 

Natural Colours

These are great recipes however; I would not use food colours. Alternatively, I would use the Hopper’s natural food colours or make my own colours.
 
How to make natural food colours:
Cut up either red or white cabbage. Simmer for 20 minutes in a saucepan to get the colours out of the cabbage. Drain and pour into ice cube moulds and freeze for later use. The water will evaporate and the colour will become more intense over time.
Purple: red cabbage juice
Blue: red cabbage juice and bicarbonate
Red: red cabbage juice with ¼ teaspoon citric acid
Pink: Beetroot juice
Yellow/orange: Saffron or turmeric
 
For each colour I would use a different aroma like:
For blue, I would use Blue Cypress oil.
For pink/red, I would use Lavender oil.
For purple, I would use Valor oil.
For yellow/orange, I would use Lemon or Orange oil.
For green, I would use Gentle Baby, Peace & Calming I or Peace & Calming II.
Also, any of the KidScents blends would be a great addition.

16/12/2021 We just created various icing mixture colours to decorate Gingerbread Men cookies - pink, blue and purple with the base colour being purple cabbage juice. They were delicious.

Also natural glitter can be found at Star Dust Mica. They are biodegradable, fine, sustainably sourced, vegan friendly and cruelty free. They can be used as glitter for fingernails, face, eyes, lips and all natural bio-degradable glitter bath bomb. https://stardustmicas.com/


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