I always loved playing with play dough as a kid and have made it with my kids many times.  It's always fun and keeps the kids engaged for hours.

Why Make Your Own Play Dough?

Here are a few reasons why you would make your own play dough over the store-bought products.

1. Safe and Non-Toxic: When you make play dough at home, you know exactly what's in it. You can avoid the additives and preservatives found in store-bought versions, making it safer for little hands.

2. Customisation: The best part about homemade play dough is that you can customize it however you like. Choose your favorite colours, add a few drops of scent from your perfume making kit, or even mix in some glitter for a sparkling effect. This makes the playtime experience even more magical and personal for your little ones.

3. Cost-Effective: Making play dough at home is very affordable, using ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.

4. Bonding Time: This DIY project is a great way to spend quality time with your kids, letting them help with the mixing and kneading. It’s a fun, creative activity that results in hours of imaginative play.

The Ultimate Homemade Play Dough Recipe

Now, let’s get to the fun part: making the play dough! Here’s a tried-and-true recipe that makes soft, pliable dough perfect for shaping, molding, and squishing.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

• 2 cups plain flour
• 1 cup salt
• 2 tablespoons cream of tartar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cups water
• Food coloring (optional)
• Confetti fragrance oils (optional for scent)

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Combine the Dry Ingredients
Start by mixing the flour, salt, and cream of tartar in a large saucepan. The cream of tartar helps to stabilise the dough, keeping it soft and stretchy for longer.

2. Add the Wet Ingredients
Pour in the water and vegetable oil. If you’re planning to color your dough, add the food coloring to the water before mixing it in. This ensures an even color distribution throughout the dough.

3. Cook the Dough
Place the saucepan on the stove over medium heat. Stir the mixture constantly to prevent it from sticking to the pan. As the mixture heats up, it will begin to thicken. Continue stirring until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the pan and forms a ball. This usually takes about 3-5 minutes.

4. Cool and Knead
Remove the dough from the pan and let it cool for a few minutes. Once it’s cool enough to handle, knead it on a clean surface until it becomes smooth and pliable. If you find the dough too sticky, sprinkle a little flour on your hands and the dough as you knead.

5. Add Scent (Optional)
For a sensory twist, knead a few drops of your favorite confetti fragrance oil/s into the dough.

6. Store Properly
To keep your play dough soft and fresh, store it in an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag. Properly stored, it can last several weeks.

Tips for Creative Play

• Color Variety: Divide your dough into smaller portions and add different colors to each. You can create a whole rainbow of play dough!
• Texture Play: Add small amounts of sand, rice, or glitter to the dough for different textures.
• Themed Play Dough: For special occasions, consider making themed play dough. For example, red and green for Christmas, or orange and black for Halloween.
• Potion Play: Add play dough to your kids potion kit.  Build structures to experiment in, dinosaur volcanos to play with or even mould a shape to play in. 
• Creative Makeup Play: Play dough can even be used in kids play makeup activities. Encourage your little ones to shape pretend makeup products, like lipsticks and blush compacts, from colorful dough. It’s a fun and safe way for them to explore creative role-playing.

Making homemade play dough is not just a fun activity; it’s a way to bring creativity and imagination.  So, gather your ingredients, roll up your sleeves, and start mixing!

Happy doughing,

Lisa