The 43 best playdough tools [including household items!]

Do your kids love playdough? Here are the best playdough tools you can buy or gather from household items I bet you already have!

Play dough is a universally loved kids toy. It’s also a super popular birthday party gift idea, party favor, and class gift.

So, naturally, we have a lot of play dough.

Play doh is great for open ended play, but sometimes kids need a nudge of guidance.

For that reason, we have a few big zipper bags full of play dough tools and accessories.

These are not structured activities but little gizmos and gadgets to inspire them to play freely!

Here are some of our favorite playdough tools for kids.

The best playdough tools

“Official” playdough accessories

Of course, there are loads of tools that are meant to actually be used for play dough. Here are some favorites:

• Play dough spaghetti maker (my favorite set!)
• Play dough extruders
• Wooden dough tools set
• Plastic dough tools set

Play doh cutters

It’s fun to use a variety of (kid safe) knives and cutters to chop and cut play dough!

• Crinkle cutter
• Plastic pizza cutter
• Play dough cutter set

Play doh scissors

I am nesting this in the cutter category, but kid-safe scissors are also great dough scissors for cutting play dough, especially as it comes out of play dough presses!

• Plastic scissors
• Metal safety scissors

Play dough cookie cutters

Not to be confused with knife and scissor type cutters, cookie cutters are essential for your play doh tool set!

You can use cookie cutters you already have, but wash them VERY carefully before using them for food again – intricate cookie cutters can get dried play doh in the tiny crevices.

• Animal cookie cutter set
• Alphabet cookie cutters

Play dough rolling pins

Dough rollers are a huge part of play dough and getting it ready for cutting or cookie cutters!

• Pattern rolling pins
• Mini wooden rolling pins

Play dough stamps

I think that play dough stamps are a super underrated tool! They don’t cut all the way through the dough but instead imprint a design. They are a huge hit with my kids!

• Letter stampers
• Foot print stamps
• Dinosaur stamps

Wooden play doh tools

If you prefer wooden toys, you might prefer these wooden play doh accessories!

• Melissa & Doug wooden rollers + stamps
• Wooden rolling pins
• Wood stamp set

Play dough mats

If you plan to do play dough on some sort of tabletop, it can help to have a tray or mat to play on! Don’t play on paper – the play dough WILL get stick!

• Plastic trays
• Silicone mat
• Bamboo sectional tray
• Silicone divided plates
• Wooden plate
• Plastic lap tray

Other random stuff that makes play doh fun

With a little imagination, almost anything can be a play dough instrument! Experiment with what works the best to help kids develop fine motor skills and have fun!

• Large beads
• Straws
• Pipe cleaners
• Potato masher
• Silicone cupcake wrappers
• Wooden blocks
• Popsicle sticks
• Garlic press
• Whisk
• Googly eyes
• Silicone molds
• Plastic animals/figurines
• Skewers
• Toothpicks
• Buttons
• Rocks/gemstones
• (Dried) pasta noodles
• Toy trucks

What are your favorite play dough tools?

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