There’s nothing like play dough to build a child’s hand strength, imagination, hand-eye coordination, coping skills, and interaction with other children. Peanut and I have tried several recipes lately including the no-cook Kool-aid version but we like this one the best.
Each time it turns out the smoothest and lasts longer than any other version we’ve tried. All that to say, while we gladly accept store bought play dough as gifts, we now only create our own variations to fill the play dough containers when the store bought version gets dried out. The following recipe can make one large batch or three store-bought size batches of dough. Have fun playing!
The Best Play Dough
Ingredients
- 1 c. flour
- 2 tsp. cream of tarter
- 1⁄4 c. salt
- 1 c. warm water
- 1 tsp. oil
- food coloring
Directions
- Mix dry ingredients in small saucepan.
- Add salt and water. If you are using only one color for the batch you can add it here too. Mix until smooth.
- Place on medium heat and stir constantly until dough forms a play-dough-like consistency (no longer sticks to the finger when touched).
- Remove from pan and knead* until smooth.
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*If making multiple colors of dough per recipe, divide the dough into the desired number of balls. About 1/3 of the recipe makes enough play dough to equal that of most typical store bought play doughs. Flatten ball with hand, add desired food coloring in the center of the circle, and then knead to mix.
For those colors not in typical food coloring packets, feel free to have fun color mixing:
red+green=brown
This is one I’ll have to try! I’ve tried some of the no cook play doughs and they never come out nearly as nice.
I know EXACTLY what you mean. Yes, try it and let me know what you think!
Kathy
I pinned this.. thanks, I’m sure with my 2 year old I’ll be making this soon!
Good deal. Thanks for the pin! Hope you have fun playing!
Kathy
This is THE best play dough — have made tons of it (well, maybe just one ton:-)) and it has always turned out perfect! Keeps well in ziplock bags, too. Thanks so much for sharing on Busy Monday!
This was my first play dough recipe I’ve made and it turned out amazing!! I have a few questions, where/when do you use the oil & is salt not considered a dry ingredient? I thought maybe it should say on #2 add oil and water but I wasn’t sure. Thanks for the great recipe though, I’m definitely recommending it!!