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Play Dough recipe

May 13, 2014 by Kate 23 Comments

simple play dough recipe for kids

Don’t you love when things are just simple? I have made some really fabulous play dough recipes on this blog, such as my silky and stretchy 2 ingredient play dough and one that is deliciously strawberry scented. With those aside, I thought I’d share with you the recipe I find myself using when I just want a quick lump of play dough for Possum (aged 2.5 years) to get her fingers stuck into. The original recipe can be found over at The Imagination Tree.

quick and easy play dough recipe for kids

 Play Dough Recipe

  • 2 cups plain flour
  • 1/2 cup salt
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 2 tbsp cream of tartar
  • 1 .5 cup boiling water
  • food colouring (optional)
  • 3 drops of glycerine (optional)

Basically I add it all to a bowl and mix it all up. As you can see, this is a no-cook play dough recipe and I seem to have all the ingredients in our kitchen cupboard.

playing with play dough

I love play dough for so many reasons. It throws open the doors to such great creativity and exploration. It can be coloured and scented to whatever takes your fancy and is open-ended so you know your child is going to be deeply occupied playing for a good length of time. Possum loves digging her fingers deep into the dough and pinching it to mould it however she desires. Of course, play dough is wonderful for developing fine motor skills.

Do your kids love play dough?

Here are some more ideas you might like –
Silky and Stretchy Play Dough for kids - 2 ingredients    Invitation for children to play and create =   Bath Paints using 2 ingredients

Ebooks available featuring Laughing Kids Learn
Zero to Two: Book of Play    Three to Five Playful Preschool ad

Filed Under: 1 - 3 years, 3 - 5 years, 5 - 10 years, Playdough, Recipes Tagged With: open-ended, play dough, recipe, simple

Comments

  1. betty says

    June 22, 2014 at 6:12 am

    love how easy this is… can it be baked could u let me know please

    Reply
    • Kate says

      June 22, 2014 at 5:12 pm

      I haven’t tried it, however, I probably wouldn’t recommend it either. I don’t think the hair conditioner would smell so great baked.

      Reply
  2. Cherri says

    August 1, 2014 at 10:42 am

    Love this recipe!!! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    • Kate says

      August 1, 2014 at 12:41 pm

      Thrilled to hear it Cherri! Thanks for your feedback. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Bernie McGinty says

    August 11, 2014 at 2:55 pm

    So glad I found your site. I have 4 grand children and love to do crafts with them and they all love Play dough and painting.

    Reply
    • Kate says

      August 12, 2014 at 8:56 pm

      How wonderful to read your message Bernie. Please be sure to visit my website and add your email to subscribe. That way I can provide you with lots more great ideas you can used with your grandchildren. I’d hate for you to miss a great idea. Kindest regards. Kate

      Reply
  4. Amber says

    August 9, 2015 at 2:40 am

    This recipe looks amazing! How long does the play dough usually last for before it needs to be tossed? Also what is the benefit of including the glycerine? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Kate says

      August 9, 2015 at 11:30 am

      Hi Amber! So lovely to connect with you. This playdough I made for my first teaching class many years ago and with great care it is still wonderful. You do need to ensure it is wrapped in cling wrap really tightly and avoid air pockets, but it will last a long time. The Glycerine helps it to last longer and gives it a smoother texture. Hope that helps. Enjoy.

      Reply
      • Amber says

        August 10, 2015 at 5:29 am

        Thank you so much! I will definitely give it a try! One more question, what kind of oil do you recommend using?

        Reply
        • Kate says

          August 10, 2015 at 4:31 pm

          I always use vegetable oil Amber but I think I’ve tried canola oil too. All the best and be sure to pop back and let me know how you got on. 🙂

          Reply
          • Amber says

            August 12, 2015 at 6:58 am

            Thanks for all of the help! I really like this recipe. I do wish that it was a bit less sticky so that cleanup is easier in class. Any suggestions for making it less sticky?

          • Kate says

            August 13, 2015 at 10:25 am

            Obviously all ingredients differ from country to country so you might need to add a teaspoon or two more of flour. Always kneed it well.

          • Kathy Partch says

            October 22, 2017 at 12:42 pm

            Baby oil does not turn rancid as quickly as veggie oil.

  5. Rosie.babyvenue says

    June 25, 2016 at 5:03 pm

    Love your post!! thank for sharing

    Reply
    • Kate says

      June 25, 2016 at 7:25 pm

      Oh Rosie, you are more than welcome. Thanks for your kind comment! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Karen says

    July 31, 2016 at 6:07 pm

    Great idea to have fun with my kids. Thank for share this great post.

    Reply

Trackbacks

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  7. Playdough inspired by Chinese New Year - Laughing Kids Learn says:
    January 21, 2016 at 3:12 pm

    […] make this playdough inspired by Chinese New Year I used my basic playdough recipe for this and had Possum involved in everything but pouring and mixing the boiling […]

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Welcome
Hello and welcome!
My name is Kate and I am a mum to two little girls, Possum and Boo. We have lots of fun together learning with play at home and are pleased to share some of what we do with you.
Read my about page to find out more.

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