Playdough Snowman (Winter Fine Motor Activity for Kids)

Are you looking for ways to help develop fine motor skills this winter? This Playdough Snowman is a fun way to celebrate the holiday season, especially if it doesn’t snow where you live.

Making playdough snowmen is a fun project for toddler or preschool classrooms. All you need is some white playdough and a few loose parts to start making your own snowmen.

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Disclosure: Adult supervision is required for all activities at all times. Some of the links provided in this blog are affiliate links. I will be paid a commission if you use this link to make a purchase.

Winter Fine Motor Play Ideas to try

Fine motor activities are perfect for helping kids develop hand strength, dexterity and hand eye coordination. Here are some more play based learning activities that are perfect for the Winter season.

For more ideas, check out these 20 Winter Fine Motor Activities.

Materials Needed

1 cup Flour
½ cup salt
1 cup hot water
2 Tbsp cream of tartar
1 Tbsp oil
Dried black beans
Twigs
Orange pipe cleaner, cut into ½ inch lengths.

How To Make a Playdough Snowman

Make the Playdough

This is my favorite recipe to use when making homemade playdough. Since we want to make white play dough, you don’t need to add any food coloring. However if your kids decide they want to make rainbow snowmen, then of course you can add whatever color you want to your dough.

You can also add in some essential oil to your playdough to make it smell nice. However you must remember that essential oil is not taste safe. So if there is a chance that your kids are going to put the playdough in their mouths, then please don’t try this.

1. Mix the dry ingredients (table salt, flour, and cream of tartar) together in a large bowl.

2. Add the vegetable oil and hot water, bit by bit, mixing as you go.

I like to add boiling water to my dough, as this helps to dissolve the salt and makes the dough a smoother consistency. If you want your dough to be really smooth, then add your ingredients to a pot and use the heat from your stove top to dissolve all of the salt completely.

3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until completely combined.

If the dough is too sticky then add in some more flour. If it’s too dry then add in some additional water. You can keep adding these two ingredients until your playdough is the consistency you want.

Assembling the Playdough Snowman

You can make either a 2D or 3D snowman with these materials. It will depend on how old your kids are and what they are capable of. Younger children, like toddlers will find the 2D snowman easier. However older kids who need something more challenging will be able to make their own snowman that is 3D.

3D Snowman

1. Roll the playdough into three balls and stack them on top of each other.

If you are struggling with the balls falling off, then you can hold them in place with one of the twigs. Think of the twig as a spine for your snowman, with half of it going into the bottom ball, and half going into the top ball.

2. Decorate your snowman with some dried black beans, orange pipe cleaners, and twigs.

2D Play Dough Snowmen

To make the snowmen flat instead, simple squash your balls flat with your hand. The kids can still decorate their snowmen with all of the same things without having to worry about it falling over.

There are a lot of small parts you can use to make your playdough snowman kit. While I used black beans, small twigs and orange pipe cleaner, you can also try: