Perfect Play Dough

This is one of our favourite homemade play dough recipes. It takes minutes to make, costs under a $1 and it can last for a few months. This homemade play dough is so squishy and soft and it works beautifully with our Beadie Bug Play wooden play dough stamps, cutters, knives and rollers.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup salt
4 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 cups lukewarm water
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil (coconut oil works too)
Optional: food colouring, glitter and/or essential oils

What you’ll need from the kitchen

• Large pot
• Spoon for stirring
• Bowl or wax paper for cooling
• Air-tight container or small plastic zip-lock bag for mixing color and storing

Instructions

1. Stir together the flour, salt and cream of tartar in a large pot.
2. Add the water and oil. If you’re only making one colour, you can stir in the colour now.
3. Cook over medium-heat, stirring constantly. Continue stirring until the dough has thickened and begins to form into a ball.
4. Remove from heat and then place inside a bowl or onto wax paper.
5. Allow to cool slightly and then knead until smooth and beautifully soft.
6. If you’re adding colours after, divide the dough into balls (for how many colours you want). Start with about 5 drops of colour and add more to depending on how bright you want it.
7. Knead the dough. If you have a child who loves a bit of sparkle, you could add about 1/4 cup of glitter and knead it in.

Once it’s all mixed together, you’re ready to PLAY.

TIP: After dividing the dough into balls you can put them into the small zip-lock bags. Add coloring, essentials oils and/or glitter then knead the dough, while inside the bag so it doesn’t stain your hands.

NOTE: Store the play dough inside air-tight container, or the bags you mixed them in, to keep soft. If this play dough is stored properly, it will keep soft for up to 3 months.

OILS: Some of the oils we love in play dough are lavender, citrus, lemon, eucalyptus, bergamot, frankincense and peppermint.

Recipe by Jamielyn Nye, I Heart Nap Time