Playdough provides hours of fun for kids and is a great way of improving fine motor skills and encouraging creativity. Rolling and shaping dough, kneading, and stretching work the same hand muscles needed for writing. The endless possibilities for play dough are limited only by your child’s imagination. It’s really easy to whip up a batch of playdough with these simple homemade playdough recipes.
No-Cook Homemade Playdough Recipe
This is the classic recipe for playdough. This playdough can be baked in the oven to harden and preserve your creations. After baking, paint and varnish if desired
Ingredients:
- 2 cups plain flour
- 1 cup salt
- 1 cup cold water
- two tablespoons vegetable oil
- Food colouring
Instructions:
1. In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt.
2. Combine the water, vegetable oil, and food colouring in a separate bowl.
3. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring continuously until they start to come together.
4. Knead the dough on a floured surface until it reaches a smooth, playdough-like consistency.
5. Store in an airtight container when not in use.
To Bake the Playdough
Preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F).
Place your shaped dough on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 to 2 hours, depending on the thickness of the dough. Thicker pieces may require more time. Keep an eye on the dough to prevent it from browning too much.
To check if the dough is fully baked, gently tap it. If it sounds hollow and feels hard, it’s done.
Decoorate And Seal
Once baked, remove the dough from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
After cooling, you can paint and decorate your baked creations using acrylic paints, markers, or other craft supplies.
To preserve your baked playdough creations, consider applying a clear varnish or sealant. This step is especially useful if you plan to keep your items for a long time or use them as decorations.
Edible Playdough Recipe
For parents concerned about their little ones putting playdough in their mouths, this edible version is safe and simple to make for children over 18 months. Children under 1 should not be given honey.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter
- 2 cups icing sugar
- 1/2 cup honey
Instructions:
1. In a medium bowl, combine the peanut butter and honey.
2. Gradually add the icing sugar, mixing until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky.
3. Knead the dough until it reaches the desired consistency.
4. Remember, this playdough should be stored in an airtight container and used within a few days.
No Special Equipment Needed!
The great thing about playdough is that you don’t need any special equipment or tools. All sorts of household items work well with these homemade playdough recipes. Here are just a few of the things your child could use to shape and form the dough.
- Cookie cutters
- lolly sticks
- shells
- coins
- a garlic press
- leaves
- buttons
- rolling pin
- plastic cups
- straws
- bottle tops
Caution
Play dough and small objects can be a choking hazard for young children. Never leave your child unsupervised when playing.
Homemade play dough is a great rainy day activity which your kids will love. Get stuck in alongside them for a bit of childhood nostalgia.
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