DIY Kid-Safe Play Dirt

For those days you want some fun inside sensory options, try out this DIY kid-safe play dirt!

My kids love sensory activities. They will play just about anything as long as it is messy. One of their favorite sensory experiences is dirt.

However, for many reasons, I don’t always like them to play in the dirt.

Bugs, germs, and bacteria hide in dirt, making it not the best choice for sensory play. And, living in Chicago, dirt isn’t always accessible (but snow is).

Instead of traditional dirt, we made this dirt-like dough that help my kid’s attention for hours. 

Be sure to check out our other fun family-friendly kid activities and crafts!

This post contains affiliate links.

Kid Safe Play Dirt Sensory Fun | Mommy Evolution

DIY Kid-Safe Play Dirt

How to Make Dirt

kid safe play dirt

Follow these tips to make your own kid-safe play dirt!

Please note, this recipe is not taste-safe, so it should not be used with kids who will put the dirt in their mouths.

Materials:

  • Flour
  • Shaving Cream
  • Yellow food coloring (or pick the favorite color of your choice)
process shot

You’ll love how simple this dirt is to make.

All you need to do is mix about equal measurements of flour and shaving cream (depending on humidity, you may need to raise or lower the amount of either ingredient).

playing in safe dirt

First, we mixed our flour, food coloring, and shaving cream until it had the consistency of play dough.

Then, we added a bit more flour to make it crumbly like real dirt.

playing with plastic animal in play dirt

When the kids squeezed the dirt together, they could make little clumps and rock-like shapes.

But the clumps quickly broke apart when crumbled.

The kids brought out some of their favorite small toys and pretended the dirt was a desert.

They spent hours making mountains, driving cars through the dirt, squeezing it into big rocks, breaking them apart again, and spreading the dirt around.

more play

I was so happy I could let them play without worrying about them contracting pin worms or something equally disgusting from real dirt.

even more play

We loved our kid-safe play dirt and cannot wait to make it again!

play safe dirt - sensory play

More Sensory Activity Ideas

Sensory play is a powerful way for children to learn, develop and engage with their surroundings, and it’s also a whole lot of fun!

Take your child on a sensory adventure that sparks imagination, creativity and learning.

These ideas are designed to stimulate a child’s senses while encouraging exploration, experimentation and play.

2 Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *