Make Play Dough

Making play dough is easy. Kids and grown-ups of all ages will love this fun (and inexpensive) activity.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of plain flour
  • 1/4 cup of water
  • 1/3 cup salt
  • 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
  • Food coloring, glitter, etc. (optional)

Steps

Making Stove-top Play Dough

  1. Mix the dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt until the mixture is evenly blended.
    • Adding a tablespoon of alum to the mixture will make the dough less palatable to a child, reducing the likelihood that the child will eat it. The alum also works as a preservative to help slow down the growth of bacteria. It's non-toxic, but large amounts can cause stomach aches.
    • Adding two tablespoons of cream of tartar can increase elasticity.[1]
  2. Mix the wet ingredients. Stir until mixed.
    • A few drops of glycerin can add shine.[2]
  3. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Stirring constantly, slowly pour the dry ingredients into the mixture in the saucepan.
  4. Continue to stir. This step will bring your mixture to the consistency of stiff but smooth mashed potatoes. If you find that consistency unattainable, add flour if it is too wet, and water if it is too dry.
  5. Allow to cool before kneading. Take the pan off the stove until it has cooled enough to touch. Remove your dough mixture from the pan until it's reached the evenly blended play dough consistency.

Making Play Dough Without Heat

  1. Combine dry ingredients. Pour flour and salt in a bowl. Mix them together until evenly distributed.
    • Adding a tablespoon of alum to the mixture will make the dough less palatable to a child, reducing the likelihood that the child will eat it. The alum also works as a preservative to help slow down the growth of bacteria. It's non-toxic, but large amounts can cause stomach aches.
    • Adding two tablespoons of cream of tartar can increase elasticity.[1]
  2. Add wet ingredients. While stirring, add water and vegetable oil into the dry mix.
    • A few drops of glycerin can add shine.[2]
  3. Adjust the consistency. Add more flour if you find it's too sticky, and more water if too dry.
  4. Mix in added ingredients. Food coloring, glitter, or texture-related ingredients must all be added in at this point. Keep mixing until everything looks even all the way through.
  5. Knead. Take the dough out of the bowl to knead it on a flat surface. Make sure it feels smooth and even, and work out any spots that were tough to mix in the bowl.

Video

Things You'll Need

  • Mixing bowl
  • Saucepan
  • Spoon
  • Surface for kneading

Tips

  • Consider adding other fun ingredients to change the texture or appearance of the dough (such as glitter). You can also use peppermint or other oils to give the dough a different smell. Be careful though, you don't want your child to be tempted to eat it.
  • When not in use, store the dough in an airtight container, such as a Ziploc® bag or an old food container you do not use anymore. Storing the dough in the refrigerator when not in use will help keep the growth of mold or bacteria down.
  • You should wash your hands first before handling play dough.
  • Different recipes call for different ingredient ratios, so play around until you find a ratio that works for you.
  • Let the kids choose the color and help with whatever they can; this will help make them feel involved (plus it is super fun to make playdough with kids aged 3-6).
  • Err on the side of caution, toss homemade dough after a week or two. To extend the shelf life, have children wash their hands before they play. Toss out any dough that fell on the floor, sneezed or coughed on, put in mouth, etc. Class rooms can spread an illness very fast if not careful. Store dough in zip bags or tightly covered Tupperware containers..
  • Mix the colors at four different corners using a toothpick to make a tie-dye look.

Warnings

  • Be careful when storing the play-dough for extended periods of time at room temperature or in the fridge because mold will grow on it.
  • The salt content of the dough can be harmful to pets, so make sure to keep it away from them.
  • Adult supervision is necessary during cooking and play.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.thefabulousmomsguide.com/2012/05/how-to-make-play-dough-play-doh-3/
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://theimaginationtree.com/2012/04/best-ever-no-cook-play-dough-recipe.html
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