Thursday 9 February 2012

Play dough recipe and 'how to'

Now, here's a thing I've been meaning to share with you for absolutely ages - how to make playdough. You can make it for virtually no money at all and it lasts for ages as long as you keep it in an air-tight container.  The recipe was given to me by my good friend, Mrs Hen, who you may remember me saying previously has magic ways when it comes to children - now, I'm not claiming that is magic playdough, but you never know, it may buy you long enough to make the dinner in peace...
So, here it is - my playdough 'how to':

Ingredients
2 cups plain flour
1 cup table salt
4 tbsp cream of tartar
2 cups water
2 tbsp vegetable/sunflower oil
Food colouring

Method
Put all the ingredients in a saucepan and cook over a low heat for 3-5 mins.  Stir continuously, even when it becomes difficult to stir - stir on!
When you have something that resembles playdough in the pan (this shouldn't take more than a few minutes) remove from the heat and knead and squeeze so that it forms a big, smooth ball of dough.
Give to your assembled small people for them to enjoy (once it's cool enough for them to handle) then sit back, relax and enjoy watching them have fun, while you bask in the glow of thrifty satisfaction. x

PS - I'd really love to hear from you if make this - I hope your kids enjoy it as much as mine do

10 comments:

  1. Oh my word. This is one of my posts for next week!! I made four lots of playdough last week and my recipe, found through Pinterest obviously! is exactly this in half.
    I use gel colourings as they get such a good colour.

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  2. I remember making this when my kids were little. Thanks for the memories.
    Meredith

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  3. I used to be responsible for play-dough making at my kids Play group, we used to add sand, glitter, essential oils and even make it black for Halloween! Haven't made any for my wee one for ages, feeling inspired, thank you!
    Sandra x

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  4. We always made our play doh. my daughter Allison always licked it..be/cause it was salty!~!

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  5. hey 'one day some day never get around to fixing a date coffee' pal!
    (MUST sort this out...)
    Now, Cleggy has some other good recipes for play dough on his blog - think it's in the resources section. For taking it to the next level!!!
    We're off to scotland for half term but shall we defo sort ourselves out on our return. Realise this is entirely my fault!
    fee xxx

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  6. I haven't made playdoh for AGES (my girls are a bit big for it now), but I love it. It's great if you add glitter too. XX

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  7. How wonderful! I will be making this for my little Angélique very soon. Thank you.

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  8. Yay! I don't even have kids but I want to make it for me! I'll let you know how it goes... :)

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  9. 15 years ago my health visitor gave me a recipe for playdough, basically the same as this but so much more, it was the nursery recipe. For some reason I didn't think "oh this is enough for a whole playgroup" and made it anyway. Then I thought "Lawks, hows he gonna play with all that". It lasted a month. Only a month. Then I made it again but drastically less. Thanks for reminding me of such good memories. Sue :)

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  10. Have you a recipe for getting it out of carpets? It's great watching the kids play with playdoh, slightly marred by th fact you then spend weeks gattin it out of he kitchen (yes, I know, kitchen) carpet.

    Love playdoh, I reckon I'm more amused by it than the boys.

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