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March 3, 2018

Categories | DIY Ideas

Tags | diy recipes

Jeff Johnson

DIY | Play Dough

Play Dough. Loved by children for generations, full of learning potential, and easy to make on your own with some common supplies and readily available tools. Here’s our take on a basic play dough recipe

You Need to Knead

After you achieve balling, turn off the heat, transfer the dough to a flat surface, and knead it thoroughly. This process both finishes the mixing process and starts the cooling process.

Pre-Kneading

Post-Kneading

Notes

Exposure to air dries out play dough. When it’s not in use, protect it. After it is thoroughly cooled, store dough in the airtight container of your choice. Choose thoughtfully. Lidded containers are durable, but if the lid is not properly attached your dough will dry out. Many plastic bags indicate they are sealed when you close them, but they are also easily punctured by little fingers–or little hands manipulating scissors, pencils, and other pointy tools. I guess we’re saying the safest place to store your dough is an airtight safe with a bio-metric locking mechanism. Or, you can just make a fresh batch when needed.
If you need lots of play dough, and who doesn’t, you could double the recipe. Just remember that that requires a lot more stirring. In our experience it’s easier to just mix up multiple batches.
If something goes wrong it’ll probably be one of these two things: You set the heat too high (above medium-low) or you had too much liquid (include coloring as part of the 3 cups water).
No need for coloring. Naked play dough is just fine.
Check out DIY instructions for our Play Dough Rollers and Play Dough Stamps for more dough-riffic play ides.

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Jeff Johnson

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Jeff Johnson is an early learning trainer, podcaster, and author who founded Explorations Early Learning, Playvolution HQ, and Play Haven.

Notes

This write up is based on the play dough recipe Lisa Murphy shares on page 115 of the wonderful Ooey Gooey Handbook.

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DIY | Play Dough

You Need to Knead

Notes

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Jeff Johnson

Notes

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