Happy Hippos approved Playdough Recipe!
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup salt
- 2 tbsp cream of tartar (optional, helps make the playdough smoother and more durable)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 ½ cups water
- Food coloring (optional)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or other scent (optional)
Instructions:
- Mix the Dry Ingredients:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and cream of tartar. Stir them together with a spoon to make sure they’re well mixed.
- Add the Wet Ingredients:
- In a separate bowl or measuring cup, add the water, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract (if you’re using it). Stir until everything is combined.
- Combine the Wet and Dry Ingredients:
- Gradually pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, stirring as you go. The mixture will start to come together, but it may be a bit lumpy at first.
- Cook the Playdough:
- Pour the combined mixture into a saucepan and place it over medium heat. Stir constantly to prevent the dough from sticking and burning. As you stir, the playdough will start to thicken and become more solid.
- Keep stirring until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan (this usually takes about 3-5 minutes).
- Cool and Knead:
- Once the playdough has formed, remove it from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes.
- When it’s cool enough to handle, take it out of the pan and knead it with your hands for a few minutes until it’s smooth and soft. This is a great step for children to help with, as it strengthens their fine motor skills!
- Add Color (Optional):
- If you want to make colored playdough, divide the dough into separate balls (depending on how many colors you want). Add a few drops of food coloring to each ball and knead it in until the color is fully incorporated. You can use gloves or a plastic bag for this part if you’re worried about the food coloring staining hands.
- Playtime:
- Once your playdough is ready, it’s time for the kids to enjoy it! Let them roll it, squish it, cut it, or create shapes. It’s a wonderful way for children to explore textures, use their imagination, and practice motor skills.
Tips:
- Storage: Store the playdough in an airtight container or ziplock bag to keep it soft for weeks. If it starts to dry out, just knead in a little bit of water.
- Textures: For an extra sensory twist, you can add glitter or small beads to the playdough to make it sparkly and fun!
How does making playdough support my child’s learning?
Working with children to make their own playdough gives them opportunities to work on following directions, and to solve problems.
Allowing children to cook and follow a recipe is an amazing activity for developing fine motor skills and practicing math concepts!
Following directions:
- When children follow a recipe to make playdough, they practice listening to and comprehending instructions in order. This develops their ability to focus on and follow step-by-step directions, which are important skills used in many everyday activities!
Problem solving:
- Children observe how different ingredients reach when mixed together – such as what happens when you mix flour and water, or how the playdough changes if adding cream of tartar.
- While making and playing with playdough, children may encounter challenges, such as the dough being too sticky! Challenges like this encourage children to problem solve by trying to figure out how to adjust ingredients, improving critical thinking skills.