REFERENCE NOTE: In light of the need to social distance, and Gov. Justice’s stay-at-home order, this is the first in a series of stories that share activities and recipes you can try at home.
After a couple weeks of quarantine, kids and parents alike might be struggling for entertainment. Homemade play dough is fun for all ages — creative, a little messy but contained enough to be fun for parents, too.
The ingredients for this recipe are fairly common, and the process is quick and fun. Whether you’re trying your hand at homeschooling and looking for an art project, or just getting bored, this is a fun activity for any family.
This recipe can be made by older children who can use a stove safely, or is great for adults to do with younger children. If you don’t mind food coloring on their hands, kids love to help knead the colors into the dough. Once you’ve made the dough, adults and children of any age can enjoy.
To make dough at home:
Ingredients
- 1 cup white flour
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1/3 cup salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Food coloring (gel is best for bright colors)
Add flour, cream of tartar and salt to medium sized saucepan. Add water and oil and stir over medium heat until mixture forms a dough. Don’t worry if it’s lumpy at first — it’ll thicken up.
If making a full batch of a single color, add food coloring along with the water.
If you want to make multiple colors from this recipe, divide the batch once it’s formed as a dough. While still warm, knead in your chosen colors.
Children and the young at heart enjoy using this soft and bright dough to sculpt letters, numbers, dinosaurs, scenes of characters and landscapes and other shapes and games.
Household objects — cookie cutters, forks, combs, lids of various containers — can be used as molds and tools. Turn finding objects with imprintable textures into a scavenger hunt to make playing with the dough a family fun challenge.
Store in a jar or other airtight container, and this recipe can stay play ready for months.
By Aldona Bird
TWEET @DominionPostWV
