Now that Easter is over and the kids have gotten loads of candy, what do you do with it all? If your kiddos got Peep Marshmallows in the Easter basket than listen up! Don’t throw any away, instead make Peeps dough.
When I found out that you could make home-made edible play dough, it was a game changer for me. My oldest kid, who is now 5, never put anything in her mouth. However, my second child, who is 18 months old, wants to put EVERYTHING in his mouth.
I was super excited to use left over Easter candy to make a nontoxic, even edible, dough the kids could play with.
All you need to make this play dough is 5 Peeps marshmallows, 3 tablespoons of corn starch and 2 teaspoons of coconut oil.
First, measure the corn starch and coconut oil and put them into a microwave-safe bowl. Second, separate the Peeps and add them to the mixture. Third, microwave everything for 30 seconds.
Stir with a spoon immediately to make sure all ingredients are mixed evenly. Please keep in mind that the Peeps expand and may get hot, so handle with care.
That is all you need to do to make this edible playdough, but there is an additional step if you want to be a little extra.
You can add one drop of food coloring to enhance the colors. Add this once the mixture comes out of the microwave, but this is totally optional and not necessary if you don’t have food coloring.
Once the mixture has cooled down, your kiddos are free to roll, cut, twist and make all sorts of creations with their new Peeps dough. The best part about this is you don’t have to worry about your little ones putting it in their mouths and eating something toxic.
One thing to keep in mind is that this play dough, if left out of an airtight container, will dry and harden.
This is a fun and easy activity to do with your kids. Bonus points because it gets rid of the extra Easter candy! Happy creating!
ANN BURNS is a Morgantown native, raising two young children with her husband, Drake. She writes weekly columns for The Dominion Post. Contact her at Columns@DominionPost.com.
