Play Dough

Homemade Play dough is economical, fun to make, and fun to play with!

One batch of this homemade play dough makes a large amount, about equal to 2-3 store-bought containers. You might want to divide this recipe after cooking and then add  different colors to the different sections.

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 cup water

• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar (this helps with elasticity and keeping it from being crumbly)

• 1/3 cup salt

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• Food coloring – gel gives the most vibrant color results.

Instructions

1. Mix together all the ingredients in a 2-quart sauce pan.  A non-stick sauce pan makes it easier to work with the dough.  If you don’t have a non-stick pan, coat your pan with a little oil prior to cooking the dough.

2. Cook over low/medium heat, stirring constantly.

3. Continue stirring until the mixture is thickened and begins to gather around the spoon. If it is too sticky, cook a bit longer.

4. Remove the dough onto wax paper or a plate to cool.

5. Make sure your play dough is completely cool before you put it away. If it’s not, your play dough will become musty and even mold.

6. In order for your play dough to last for a long time, I recommend storing it in a sealed ziploc bag.

It works great to use a cookie sheet with a rim to keep the crumbs contained while playing. Another great strategy is to have play dough be an outdoor activity so you have less mess to clean up.