Sensory Taste-Friendly Pumpkin Pie Play-Dough 

This is the time of year when many serve pumpkin pies at meal time. If you would like to make a sensory play activity for your child, think about trying some edible pumpkin pie play-dough!

It’s quick and easy, and brings an exciting new color, scent, and texture into your child’s life.

This play-dough is edible for tasting, but because it is using real pumpkin, please refrigerate and keep only for a day or two to prevent any growth of mold or other bacteria. A taste or lick is fine, but I would not recommend letting your child eating more than a little bite – this is for sensory play, not a snack or meal!

Make it, play with it, and then discard – if you do not want to just toss, you could always spread into some pine-cones and hang for the critters, or roll up into tiny little balls and leave in your bird feeders to give the birds, squirrels, and chipmunks a treat.  

What You Need: 

o   Canned Pumpkin (1 can will do, or use a larger can if you need more play-dough)

o   Cornstarch or Corn Flour

o   Pumpkin Pie Spice

o   A mixing bowl

o   Utensil for mixing

o   Can opener

o   Parchment or waxed paper to squish it all together on, to play with, roll out – helps to keep your kitchen table or counter clean!

What to Do: 

o   Open can of pumpkin, put in bowl, and stir it up, smoothing it all out

o   Add pumpkin pie spice (start with a small amount and add until it smells fantastic)

o   Slowly add the cornstarch or corn flour, stirring as you add

o   Once the pumpkin mixture looks thick enough to roll into a large ball, dump onto the parchment/waxed paper to knead and roll out

o   If the dough feels a bit too sticky, add more cornstarch/ corn flour so that it is moist, sticks together, and you can smoosh and roll it

o   If the dough is too dry, it will crumble and not want to stick together well, add a bit of water – if it gets too wet, you can always add more flour/cornstarch to thicken it up.

o   Adding flour/cornstarch or water will be kind of trial and error – different brands of pumpkin have different moisture/wetness levels, and your own personal preference will help guide you

o   Keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for only a day or 2 at the most.

o   You can add flour/cornstarch or water as needed to make it a consistency you like

o   If the play-dough is too cold coming out of the cooler, you can microwave it for 10-15 seconds to warm it up – of course warming will help to hasten the age and deterioration of the real pumpkin, so be cautious of any age / mold growth. 

Optional Play Items with Edible Sensory Pumpkin Play-Dough 

Use of any of these items are optional, but may help make the activity more fun and creative!

o   Rolling pin

o   Cookie cutters

o   Small play cups and saucers, play dishes

o   Small rubbery and plastic play toys to hide in the dough

o   Small tart pans for making pretend pumpkin tarts

o   Kid safe play utensils (for cutting, scooping, spearing)

o   Watch for small items that could turn into choking hazards! 

Ways to let your child participate making pumpkin play-dough by:

o   Gathering the materials, including finding the items in the store (looking for them on the shelf, reaching for them, putting in cart, putting on check-out line, carrying bag into house, and so on)

o   Adding the canned pumpkin and dry ingredients to the bowl

o   Write their name on the container lid with a marker

o   Make a paper label, coloring it, writing on it, decorating it, to use (tape or glue on) to make the container of pumpkin play-dough all their own.

o   Let them help with rolling up pumpkin play-dough into a ball, squishing it, and kneading it to get it ready for play time

o   Encourage help with clean up too!

o   Take a picture of your child helping to make the play-dough, playing with it, and cleaning up – you can combine the pictures into a picture story for a scrapbook, small frame, or to stick in a letter to grandma!

o   Include in all the fun you are having with a sing-a-long – See the song and words below!

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