Home-made Play Dough

My kids absolutely love play dough. Even Taylor, my 13 year old, will sit down and play with it if I get it out for Tera, my 8 year old. This of course does not even compare to when they were younger, but I still enjoy making it, and I still enjoy the fact that this is one little part of their childhood that is not gone yet! It seems like everything passes so quickly! 

Making the play dough is almost as fun as playing with it, and even small children can help with this. Make sure when you are having them knead the dough by hand it is cooled off or if you are having them stir it with a spoon the bowl or pan is not hot. Here is a picture of my daughter Tera helping make play dough when she was only 4.

There have also been many times that we have given a play dough fun pack as a gift for a birthday or christmas. There are all of those plastic throw away containers with lids that you can buy in the store now. We buy a four pack of those, a rolling pin and some cookie cutters from the dollar store and then go home and make four colors of play dough and voila a super great home-made gift for someone you love! The colors of play dough really are true to form with the food coloring. Here is a sample of some red and yellow that my daughter was making above.

Through the years I have tried many different recipes, and the 3 best are listed below. I still highly favor traditional play dough. It will last at least 6 months if you keep it in the containers with the lids. All of the recipes are non toxic in case your little one decides to eat them! I would love for you to try one and leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out!

Play Dough Recipes

No Cook Play Dough

•    3 Cups flour

•    3 Cups salt

•    3 tablespoons alum

Combine ingredients and slowly add water, a little at a time. Mix well with a spoon. As mixture thickens, continue mixing with your hands until it has the feel of clay. If it feels too dry, add more water. If it is too sticky, add equal parts of flour and salt.

Traditional Play Dough

•    1 cup flour

•    1 cup warm water

•    2 tsp cream of tartar

•    1 tsp oil

•    1/4 cup salt

•    food coloring

Mix all ingredients, adding food coloring last. Stir over medium heat until smooth. Remove from pan and knead until blended smooth. Place in plastic bag or airtight container when cooled. Will last for 6 months.

Kool-Aid Play Dough

•    1 cup flour

•    1 tbsp oil

•    1 package unsweetened kool-aid

•    1/4 cup salt

•    2 tbsp cream of tartar

•    1 cup warm water

Mix flour, salt, cream of tartar and Kool-Aid in a medium pot. Add water and oil. Stir over medium heat 3-5 minutes. When mixture forms a ball in pot remove from heat. Knead until smooth. Put in plastic bag and refrigerate. 

NOTE - MUST BE REFRIGERATED OR WILL MOLD.