Apple Pie Playdough Recipe for Preschoolers

Originally published September 2013. Updated August 2026.

There is something about apples and fall that just go together! When apple season rolls around, we usually have plenty of apple books, songs, and hands-on activities happening in my home daycare.

This easy apple pie playdough recipe is one of my favorite ways to add sensory play to an apple or fall preschool theme. It has a warm cinnamon and spice scent, is soft enough for little hands to roll and shape, and works perfectly for pretend apple pie making.

Add a few simple playdough tools and preschoolers can spend plenty of time rolling, cutting, pressing, and creating their own pretend pies.

Apple Pie Playdough for Fall Sensory Play

We originally made this playdough after reading a stack of apple books from the library. The kids were so interested in apples that I wanted to bring the theme into our sensory play too.

Playdough is always popular in my daycare, so apple pie playdough was an easy choice.

You don’t need a special playdough kit for this activity either. We used a few things we already had around the house, including small pie tins, an apple-shaped cookie cutter, and a playdough rolling pin.

Apple Pie Playdough Recipe

This is a cooked playdough recipe, so an adult should handle the stovetop portion. Once it has completely cooled, it’s ready for preschoolers to play with.

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup salt
• 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Red food coloring

Tip: Instead of measuring the individual spices, you can substitute apple pie spice.

How to Make Apple Pie Playdough

1. Add the flour, salt, cream of tartar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice to a large pot. Mix the dry ingredients together.
2. Add the vegetable oil, water, and red food coloring. Stir until everything is combined.
3. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring as it cooks.
4. Continue cooking until the dough begins pulling away from the sides of the pot and forms into a ball.
5. Remove the playdough from the heat and allow it to cool completely.
6. Once cool, knead the dough until it is smooth. If your playdough still feels sticky, knead in a small amount of flour.

Now it’s ready to play!

Setting Up an Apple Pie Playdough Invitation

You can simply put the playdough on the table and let preschoolers explore it, or add a few props to turn it into apple pie pretend play.

We used:

• Small pie tins
• Rolling pins
• Apple-shaped cookie cutters
• Playdough tools
• Kid-safe utensils

The little pie tins were especially popular. The kids rolled out the playdough, pressed it into the tins, cut out apples, and made all kinds of pretend apple pies.

You could also set this activity up in your dramatic play area and turn it into a little bakery or pie shop.

Don’t worry about making the setup elaborate. One of the things I like about playdough activities is that a few simple materials are usually all preschoolers need to come up with their own ideas.

Apple Playdough Learning Ideas

There are lots of simple ways to expand this activity without turning it into a formal lesson.

Try asking preschoolers to:

• Make several different-sized apples
• Count the apples they create
• Make a small, medium, and large pie
• Create red, green, or yellow apples
• Make pretend slices of apple pie
• Take pretend pie orders from friends
• Roll playdough “snakes” to make a lattice pie crust
• Make letters or numbers with the dough

You can follow the children’s interests and add materials as their play develops.

Pair Your Playdough With an Apple Preschool Theme

Apple pie playdough also fits easily into a larger apple theme.

We like pairing hands-on activities with books and apple songs throughout the week. You could make the playdough one day, sing apple-themed songs during circle time, explore real apples at snack time, or add apple activities to your math and science centers.

If you’re planning your September preschool activities, apples are an easy theme to use across several areas of the classroom.

Apple Books to Read With This Activity

Books were actually what inspired us to make our original batch of apple pie playdough.

Here are a few of the apple books we enjoyed:

• Apples and Pumpkins by Anne Rockwell
• The Apple Tree by Zoe Hall
• Amelia Bedelia’s First Apple Pie by Herman Parish
• How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World by Marjorie Priceman

Read one before bringing out the playdough, or place a few apple books nearby so children can look through them during your apple theme.

How to Store Homemade Apple Pie Playdough

After playtime, place the playdough in a sealed container or zip-top bag.

Our batches have lasted quite a while when stored tightly sealed. Make sure the dough is completely cool before storing it, and discard it if you notice changes in its smell, appearance, or texture.

A Quick Safety Note

This apple pie playdough smells delicious, but it is not meant to be eaten.

Always supervise young children during play, especially children who are still likely to put sensory materials in their mouths. An adult should also prepare the cooked portion of the recipe.

If you have children who are sensitive to strong scents or spices, you can reduce the amount of spice or simply make the playdough without it.

More Apple and Fall Activities for Preschoolers

Planning an apple theme? Try pairing this apple pie playdough with our Apple Themed Songs for Toddlers and Preschoolers for circle time.

You can also find more ideas in our September Preschool Themes or browse our collection of Fall Activities for Kids for more hands-on fall learning and play.

This apple pie playdough has been a favorite fall activity in my daycare because it’s easy to make, lasts for plenty of play sessions, and doesn’t require an elaborate setup.

Sometimes the simplest activities really are the ones the kids come back to again and again!