Four Plastic-Free Play Recipes

Got bored kids at home? Download this handy recipe sheet for four fun recipes: oobleck, salt dough, play dough and natural slime. Buy the ingredients in bulk and cook up some fun in the kitchen.

These sensory recipes help to keep little ones busy at home. Bought modelling doughs come in plastic containers, and most slime recipes contain toxic ingredients (borax, shaving cream, PVA glue) or highly packaged products. Make it yourself with less waste, and keep it natural so you know what your kids are rubbing their hands through.

Oobleck is fun to explore and you can look up non-Newtonian fluid with older kids to find out why it behaves so differently to other liquids.

Salt dough can be used to shape ornaments for Christmas, make table centrepieces or just model small creations that can then be baked to make them last. You can paint them after baking.

Play dough is fun to play with and one batch will last for weeks or months. Use things you already have around the house, like a garlic press, plastic cups, butter knife, rolling pin or gumnuts. Try making impressions of different textures, rolling up little balls or shaping letters and numbers from play dough 'sausage' rolls.

Slime is a fun goopy activity that will keep kids busy exploring. Drip it, smoosh it, pour it, wipe it.

Check out our 'Seasonal Nature Play’ and 'Plastic-Free Sensory Tub Ideas' printables for more zero waste play ideas. Free low-ink printable. This resource is supported by the Waste Authority of WA.