
Playdough is a shoo-in for any Valentine’s Day theme. There are so many heart loose parts available to use, and who doesn’t like the chance to include red and pink colors in their play? In this post, I’ve included a basic playdough recipe and a jello recipe. The basic recipe includes color variations made with neon food colors. All the recipes are easy to use for introducing Valentine’s Day playdough activities to your little learners.
But first, the loose parts!
Valentine’s Day Loose Parts Trays
Here are two playdough trays brimming with loose parts. The tray below includes:

rubber heart game pieces
X and O game pieces
toothpick cupcake toppers
wooden, gem, and foam hearts
buttons
heart erasers
natural colored gems
cookie cutters and rolling pin
This second tray includes:

heart bead garland
red and white bead garland
white and red gems
wooden, gem, and eraser hearts
large red beads
buttons
X and O game pieces
lollipop sticks
Basic Playdough Recipe

My go to basic playdough recipe has the following ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
4 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 cups water
3 tablespoons oil
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Add the first three ingredients to a sturdy pot and mix together.
Stir two tablespoons oil into two cups of water.
Add the water and oil to the dry ingredients and combine.
Heat on the stove on medium heat.
Stirring frequently, cook until the mixture is no longer glossy and the dough forms a ball.
Scoop the dough on to a cutting board.
Knead when cool, adding in one tablespoon more oil.
Store the playdough in a sealed plastic bag.

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