Outer Space Play Dough Activity

Play dough is always fun, but outer space play dough is EXTRA fun! Easy-to-make black play dough + loose parts = out of this world fun.

A large circle of black dough is adorned with loose parts: glow in the dark stars, acrylic gems, bouncy balls, and star beads.

Black play dough makes for the best outer space play dough activity

There’s something about black playdough that makes it irresistible.

Many kids have played with blue playdough, red, or even yellow. You know, the standard colors.

But when they see black, it’s just something else! It looks mysterious and magical, and kids will swarm to it when it’s set down on the table.

🪐 Related: Have you seen our GIANT 10-foot outer space coloring banner? It’s the best thing in the universe!

The materials for the Outer Space Play Dough Activity" black play dough, and loose parts (glow in the dark stars, acrylic gems, bouncy balls, and star beads) sit on a blue table next to an outer space bandana.

I have a trick for making outer space play dough

This trick works for making any play dough, for that matter.

As a teacher, I have made millions of batches of playdough. I’ve tried all the methods: stove top cooking, microwaving, purchasing premade, mixing in a bad, adding Kool-Aid…but this trick makes it 100x easier.

Use a stand mixer. If you have one, it’s your secret to making perfect play dough every time. I learned this from my mom, and, of course, Miss Michelle is always spot on!

Do you need a stand mixer? Absolutely not! Play dough is easy to make by hand with a bowl + spoon. A mixer just makes it a little faster. 😉

🪐 Looking for more space activities? These are out of this world:

A close up of the black play dough with space figurines, star beads, and acrylic gems pushed into it.

Materials

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Play dough – we have the best, easiest play dough recipe in the world
- 🌟To make your play dough black, add black coloring to the water right before you pour it into the bowl. You can use liquid watercolors, food coloring, or even gel icing.
Loose parts – balls for planets, glow-in-the-dark stars, mini space figurines, rocks, pom-poms, popsicle sticks, beads, etc.

💡 Teacher Tip: I used liquid watercolors because I had them on hand, but food dye and gel icing will make your dough much darker.

A close up of the Outer Space Play Dough Activity: the black play dough has been smooshed into a long oval and bouncy balls and glow in the dark stars are pressed into it.

Loose parts to add to this play dough activity

This is the best part: you can rummage around your home or classroom and use WHATEVER you want.

Rocks from the garden? Great!

Popsicle sticks? Wonderful!

Small blocks? Outstanding!

I just raid my craft supplies and grab what I think would be fun, and that’s precisely what I did here.

Glow in the dark stars sit on an oval of black play dough and a ball has been pushed into the dough to form many pretend craters.

What do children learn from playing with outer space play dough?

Math: measuring the ingredients that go into making play dough.
Science: exploring different states of matter and observe the differences between solids and liquids.
Fine motor: stretching, kneading, poking, rolling, smoothing, and manipulating play dough.
Social: children use the same materials and practice sharing skills and take turns.
Imaginative:kids play together in creating various play scenes and ideas.