I love this creamy cooked playdough recipe and I know you will too! I first used this recipe when I was teaching preschool and then later used it with my own kids. It's quick and simple to make and you probably already have most of the ingredients. Store it wrapped in plastic wrap and it should last for several weeks. It makes 1½ cups, about the size of a softball.
Ingredients: • ⅛ c. salt • 1 c. water • 2 T. vegetable oil • 1 T. cream of tartar (in the spice section of the grocery store) • 1 c. all-purpose flour + a bit extra for kneading • gel food coloring (liquid food coloring works too but gel
How to Add Color: Color can be added to the dough before or after cooking. The amount of gel food coloring depends on the strength of the color you want. Begin with a small amount and then increase until you get the desired color.
To add color before cooking, get a small amount of gel food coloring on a toothpick and mix it into the water before it is added to the dry ingredients.
To add color after cooking, make an indention in your dough, and then, using a toothpick, place a small amount of gel food coloring into the indention. Knead the gel into the dough until evenly colored. Just so you know, your hands may get temporarily stained using this method (red especially) but it's fun to see the color slowly mix into the dough.
Step 1: Mix dry ingredients in a sauce pan and then add water and oil. Whisk smooth.
Step 2: Cook on medium heat. Stir constantly and scrape the bottom of the pan. Lumps will begin to form and it will look a bit like dumplings.
Step 3: Keep stirring until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan.
Step 4: Once a ball has formed remove from the heat. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board. The dough will be very hot so begin kneading when the dough has cooled enough. Knead until smooth. If at any time the dough feels too dry then put a small amount of oil on your hands while kneading.
Get out the cookie cutters, garlic press, plastic knives, and any other items that strike your kids fancy and have fun!
How To Make A Playdough Rainbow
Making a playdough rainbow is a fun way to start a discussion on color theory. Begin with the primary colors (red, yellow, and blue) and then mix each one together to create the secondary colors (orange, green, and purple). For best results, the blue should be a bright medium blue and not a dark blue.
Step 1: Make a batch of uncolored playdough.
Step 2: Divide the dough into three equal parts. Color one part blue, one part red and one part yellow.
Step 3: Now, divide each colored section of the dough into three parts. Set aside one part of each color. Mix one blue and one yellow to make green; mix one red and one yellow to make orange; and one blue and one red to make purple.