I am not the crafty mom. This is the only homemade thing I do — play dough. I have strict play dough rules in the house. Play dough stays on the kitchen table. If it is not cleaned up (which means it dries out), I throw it out. It is not available anytime the kids ask. We will have “play dough days,” which usually revolve around bad weather.
Here is the recipe I use — it was passed down from my mom and stands the test of time! This play dough is soft and nontoxic. It will last a very long time, if stored correctly, and makes quite a lot. It is also much more cost effective than store-bought dough!
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup salt
4 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 cups room temperature water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or coconut oil)
food coloring is up to you (gel food coloring will make a brighter color)
Stir flour, salt, and cream of tartar in a large pot. Add water, oil, and food coloring. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue to cook and stir until dough starts to form a ball. This should take less than 5 minutes. The dough will become difficult to stir, and this will absolutely count as a workout for the day! Remove from heat and place hot play dough directly on the counter (or on wax paper). It may look lumpy and not uniform. Let the dough cool slightly, then knead until it becomes uniform.
You can store the play dough in a gallon-size Ziploc bag or in a leftover container. It will last surprisingly long if stored in an airtight container — up to six months!
If you want multiple colors, you can wait to add the food coloring until after the play dough is cooked. I typically make one color because the kids mix it all up anyway.
I have also tried putting small amounts of essential oils in my play dough to make it smell great.
This play dough also makes a cute party favor for a kid’s birthday. Your child can give each friend a small bag of homemade play dough!
I know many parents have strong feelings about play dough. However, if it stays a novelty by only making an appearance occasionally, and if your kids can keep it one location, it is totally worth it. And when you make your own dough, it is really fun to see a kid’s reaction when you show them a ball of play dough the size of their head!
