Playdough is one of the delights of childhood. Even if getting it off the carpets is somewhat less than delightful for adults, it’s something that we tolerate because it’s a great way for children to develop their skills in building things with their hands. Playdough is a special pleasure for those who learn through touch and movement.
How do you make playdough? There are a few different recipes, each with different instructions and ingredients.
No Cook Playdough is the easiest playdough to make. It contains 1 cup of flour, 1 tablespoon cooking oil, 1 tablespoon cream of tartar, 1/2 a cup salt and 1 cup boiling water. Mix the dry ingredients thoroughly, then mix in the hot water. Knead it until any lumps are gone. The addition of the oil and the cream of tartar makes this a very smooth playdough, although the salt means that it will still dry out your skin. An alternative recipe for no cook playdough calls only for an equivalent or slightly larger amount of cornstarch, which won’t break the budget quite as much as cream of tartar. This dough will last for about a week in the fridge. To dye the dough, you can use food dyes. If you want to be very frugal you can use a package of Koolaid. Over time, the food dye is cheaper, but if you don’t often use it then an inexpensive package of Koolaid will be cheaper in the short run.
Cooked playdough will keep longer than the no cook variety. You can create cream of tartar cooked playdough, and this dough is smoother than other cooked doughs. Combine 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup salt, and 1 tsp food coloring. Beets and Koolaid also make good dyes. After you mix, add 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon oil, and scents like vanilla if desired. The recipe is similar to the ones above, but this time you cook it over medium heat until the dough becomes like thick mashed potatoes.
Cornstarch and baking soda clay has a much nicer scent than traditional playdough, and I find that it sets to a glossier finish. Add 1 cup baking soda to 1/2 cup cornstarch and 2/3 cup warm water. Cook it over medium heat until the mixture boils. The mixture will gradually get thicker, so continue to stir it until it looks like thin mashed potatoes. You should not be able to see any water.
What are your traditional playdough recipes?