How to make playdough at home for kids
Few things are as satisfying as making playdough at home for your kids! Oh, so that sounds like a bit of an exaggeration to you, does it? Wait till you try it. Then you would 100% agree with us! With no doubts, no raised eyebrows and no eye rolls!
Yes, yes we know you want the homemade playdough recipe right now but wait a minute! Let us talk about why it is a great idea before we get to how to make playdough.
Why you should make playdough at home for your kids (h2)
It is simple. Homemade playdough is cheap. Oh yes, especially if you compare it to the amount you get in a pack of store-bought playdough. That stuff costs a lot for the quantity you get. However, with homemade playdough, you spend less amount of money but get more playdough so it is a total win-win!
Now coming to the next reason, it is soft! Which makes it very easy to mould. We all know how store-bought playdough can be at times. And kids need that kind of flexibility so they can easily execute their ideas without getting frustrated or giving up.
Lastly, you know the ingredients that go into homemade playdough so you can be sure it is safe and free of any allergens that might harm your child. Now let us talk about how to make playdough easily at home!
How to make playdough from scratch
First up, you should know that this recipe is an insider’s thing. A trade secret, if you will. So hush-hush! Do not share it with anyone!
We are only kidding! Share with as many moms or parents or guardians or even DIY-ers as you would like. The more the merrier, really. Now let us jump in!
Things you need
- 2 cups flour
- ½ cup salt
- 1 ½ cup boiled water
- 2 tbsp oil (of your choice)
- 2 tbsp cream of tartar
- Gel food colouring
Make sure you get gel food colouring. We strongly recommend it as it will work best with this dough. You can try hunting for them online. Or could you visit your nearest craft store. Or any place where they sell baking supplies. They might have it. Get as many colours as you can so your kids can have some extra fun while playing with this playdough.
How to make
Begin by taking a large bowl and adding the flour to it. Now add the salt and mix in your cream of tartar into it. Next, you want to add the oil. We used vegetable oil but you can use any oil you like. Our only criteria is that the oil should be child-safe and non-toxic. That is it. Because you never know when your kid accidentally nibbles their playdough. It could happen so using safe ingredients is important.
Anyway back to the steps, now you have got to add the boiled hot water you had kept aside. Be careful though. It is going to get hot and you do not want to get hurt by accident. So we suggest you use a flat silicone spatula to fold your dough.
Once the dough is evenly folded and firm and round, keep it aside. Let the playdough sit until it is cool. Remember your playdough should be the perfect balance of firm and soft so it can be easily moulded yet it can hold its shape.
Now cut up the playdough into evenly sized balls and add a few drops of the gel food colouring to each section. Add different colours each time by punching a little bowl into the dough ball. Now knead each ball till it is evenly covered in the colour you added to it. You can use gloves if you do not want the food colour staining your hands.
Give your dough the finishing touch by adding a drop of pleasant smelling oil to each dough ball. Your homemade playdough recipe is now complete!
Some things to note
Though homemade playdough is great to play with, it can get messy. Here a few playdough pointers that can help you:
- If you are worried about your kid’s hands and clothes being stained while using this playdough, we suggest opting for pastel gel food colouring. They do not transfer as much as darker shades. You might notice a little colour transfer initially but it will subside after a couple of play sessions.
- If you do not have or cannot find cream of tartar in your local store, you have the option of using alternatives. For example you could add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice with a bit of flour to your mix to maintain its consistency. Or you could add 3 tablespoons of baking powder. 2 tablespoons of vinegar is an option too but it does not smell nice.
- If you want your homemade playdough to be gluten-free, opt for gluten-free flour. Options include oat flour, rice flour and almond flour among others. However, the consistency these offer might not be as good as regular flour.
- Here is the good news! Your playdough can last up to a month in an airtight container before it starts to smell! So if you want to make the most of it, we suggest making a limited batch of dough so nothing goes to waste.
- If your playdough is drying, there is a very simple trick to moisten it back up. Simply cover your dough ball in a wet paper towel and put it in an airtight jar overnight. That ought to soften up and moisturise your dry playdough.
Was that not the best answer to your query of ‘how to make playdough easy’? This recipe is uncomplicated and very easy to achieve. In fact, if your kids are a little older, they can make this themselves once you teach them!
Want your kids to learn such interesting stuff in the classroom too? EuroKids is the right place to be for your preschooler children! We have got the smartest curriculum in store that has been designed to unlock your kids true potential in a nurturing and creative manner. To know more, visit any of our branches that are nearest to you.