Homemade playdough is a great way to keep kids entertained and to help with developing imagination and creativity. It’s easy to make, safe to play with, and fun to decorate. And with just a few simple ingredients, you can quickly whip up a batch of homemade playdough to use with your kids. In this article, we’ll show you how to make a basic playdough recipe safely and easily at home.
1. What is Homemade Playdough?
Making homemade playdough is a safe, easy process that provides endless fun for children of all ages. All you need for homemade playdough is some basic kitchen ingredients plus your own creativity. Here is what you need to make your own playdough:
- water
- flour
- oil
- salt
- food coloring
Once you have the ingredients, crafting your playdough is incredibly easy. Simply mix all the ingredients together except for the food coloring in a large bowl. Once combined, knead the dough for a few minutes on a flat surface. The texture of the dough should be smooth and playdough-like. Finally, add a few drops of desired food coloring and knead the dough until the color is fully blended.Now you are ready to create with your homemade playdough.
Making homemade playdough not only helps you bond with your children, it also helps you save money. This homemade version is not only more affordable than store-bought playdough, but you can also customize the colors and textures to your children’s taste. Enjoy hours of playtime with your homemade playdough and unleash your children’s creativity.
2. Benefits of Making Your Own Playdough
One of the best ways to keep both kids and adults occupied is by making home-made playdough. Crafting your own playdough is easy, much cheaper than store-bought, and most importantly, safer. Below are a few of the benefits of making playdough.
- Save Money: The ingredients needed to make playdough can be found in almost every kitchen pantry. This means that with minimal effort, you can craft your own playdough without having to spend money on store-bought.
- Safe for Children: With store-bought playdough, some parents worry about lead or other toxins. Making your own ensures that you know what’s in the playdough and that it’s completely safe for children.
- Fun: Crafting homemade playdough isn’t just a safe activity; it’s also fun for the whole family. The flexibility of the recipe allows for you and your family to be creative with their playdough. Customized colors and additives make the playdough unique and more enjoyable.
Whether you’re a parent looking for a safe activity or an adult looking to be creative, homemade playdough is great. Making the dough is an easy and affordable option that comes with many benefits.
3. Simple and Safe Recipe For Homemade Playdough
Making your own playdough isn’t hard and is not only a great way to keep your kids busy but also help build their creative and imaginative skills.
It’s also a much safer and organic option than the store bought version. By using simple kitchen ingredients you can create a playdough that’s safe for even the youngest kids.
- Ingredients:
- - 2 cups of flour
- – 1 cup of warm water
- – 1/4 cup of vegetable oil
- – 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- – Food coloring
In a medium bowl, mix the flour, cream of tartar and food coloring. In a separate bowl, mix the water and oil together and slowly add to the flour mixture. Stir the ingredients together until the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Once the ingredients are blended, turn the mix out onto a flat surface and shape into a ball. Knead the dough for a few minutes as if you were making bread, adding sprinkles of flour if the dough is too sticky. Re-shape into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and let cool for a few hours.
When ready to play, divide the playdough into smaller sections and add some extra flour if it’s too sticky. Start having fun creating shapes, animals, and anything else your kids can come up with!
4. Variations To Freshen Up Your Playdough
Use Vibrant Colors
Adding color to your homemade playdough is always a fun and exciting way to freshen up your playdough. Wooden spoons, ice cream scoops, and cookie cutters are great for small hands, and vibrant colors such as pink, yellow, green, orange, or red add to the fun. You can use food coloring or powdered paint to make the colors. Start with small amounts and add more gradually to get the desired color.
Mess-Free Glitter Playdough
Mixing glitter with the playdough will make the playdough much more attractive and add some sparkle. But glitter can also be a mess. To keep your playdough mess-free, use mica-based glitter instead. It is easier to clean up and provides a vivid but not overwhelming sparkle.
Toys and Props
Using toys or props such as plastic dinosaurs, cars, and other accessories to play with the playdough is a great way to make the playdough more fun and interactive. Incorporating these toys will not only add an element of surprise, but also keep the kids busy. To make sure these toys and props are safe, always check for sharp edges and any loose pieces.
Smell the Difference
Adding essential oils or scents to your playdough will make it much more enjoyable and fragrant. Lavender, lemon, and orange are just a few of the scents you can choose from. To make sure you do not add too much essential oil, start with a drop or two and add more depending on the desired scent.
5. Tips For Making the Best Playdough
Making playdough at home is fun, easy, and safe for the entire family. Here are a few tips to help you make the best playdough:
- Use fresh ingredients – Old flour, oil, or salt can spoil the playdough, so only use fresh ingredients. You can tell the ingredients are fresh if they smell fresh and have a vibrant colour.
- Mix the ingredients carefully – Measure the right amounts of the ingredients and mix them together slowly so the ingredients have time to absorb. Do not overmix, otherwise your playdough might become rubbery and sticky.
- Knead the dough well – Kneading is the key to getting the perfect texture. Knead the dough with your hands until it feels soft and free of lumps. You could also use a rolling pin for the perfect shape.
- Air-dry or bake in the oven – Air-drying is the fastest and safest way to get your playdough to the ideal consistency. However, for hard and long-lasting playdough, you can bake it in the oven at low temperatures. Just be sure to keep a close eye on it as it bakes.
- Personalize it – You can personalize your playdough by adding colours, glitter, essential oils, and other extras. Feel free to experiment with different ingredients to make all sorts of wonderful works of art.
For more tips and suggestions, read our full guide on homemade playdough for endless hours of fun!
Making homemade playdough is a fun and rewarding activity that can be enjoyed by all ages. It’s an easy and safe recipe that only requires basic ingredients and offers endless possibilities for creative play. Whether you have children or not, this playdough is sure to bring out the kid in all of us!