Homemade Play Dough Recipe

Hello, Sisters!  Last week (March 25th) we held a playgroup activity playing with homemade play dough. There were several families who were able to make it, but I know many of you wanted to come but just weren't able to, so I thought I would post the recipe for super-easy homemade play dough for anyone who is interested, as well as a couple of other super-fun-sounding recipes for activity time with your kids!

Homemade Play Dough:

2 cups water
3 Tbsp oil (I used vegetable, but I'm not sure if it matters what kind you use)
food coloring (I used at least 15 drops and the color was still pretty light)
2 cups flour + more for kneading
1/4 cup salt
1 Tbsp Alum (a spice found in any grocery store's spice aisle)

-Mix dry ingredients together in a small bowl. In a medium sized saucepan, bring water, oil and food coloring to a boil. Remove liquid mixture from heat and add flour, salt and alum mixture about 1/2-1 cup at a time, mixing well as you go (this will help prevent clumps in your final product). Let cool and knead until it becomes smooth and elasticy, adding more flour as necessary to reduce any tackiness. Store in an airtight container.

The end product should have the same consistency as store-bought play dough- though, at a fraction of the cost... so who cares if your kids mix up all the colors, right?! Plus, it is non-toxic and therefore not a disaster if your 17 month old spends the entire time just trying to eat it (like mine!).

Homemade SLIME

Remember making slime (aka: GAK) back in elementary school?? I do! One of my favorite things I ever did in honors math class, haha! Anywho, I found the secret recipe to making the good old-fashioned homemade slime, as well as a twist on the same recipe which will make homemade Flubber!

1 Tsp Borax powder (supposedly found at any grocery store on the laundry detergent aisle... labeled "20 Mule Team Borax" and is in a green box)
1 1/2 cups water, divided
4 oz (1/2 cup) Elmer's glue (white for classic slime, clear for Flubber)
food coloring of your choice (definitely HAS to be green for the Flubber! :)

-Add borax powder to 1 cup of water and stir to dissolve.  Set aside.  Pour glue into a medium mixing bowl and add 1/2 C water. Add a few drops of food coloring until desired color is reached and then stir to mix glue solution until smooth.  Pour the borax mixture into the glue mixture and watch the solids start to form.  Stir for a few moments and then use your hands to gather the mass.  The mixture will be very soft and wet.  Keep kneading until it firms up and feels dry.  Discard excess liquid in bowl. The more you knead and play with the slime the firmer it will become.  Store in a ziplock bag or air tight container and the slime will keep indefinitely. This one, folks, is unfortunately NOT edible! Best for older kids, I'm thinking...

And last, but not least...

Homemade EDIBLE (peanut butter) play dough!

1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup honey

-Combine ingredients in a kitchen aid and mix until smooth, or let your kids help mix it by hand. This is great to be used as regular play dough with rollers, cutters, molds, etc., or it can be great to give kids M&M's, pretzel sticks, graham crackers, cheerios, etc. and let them build and decorate their own edible creations! Might be a good idea around snack time :)

Anyway, hope these recipes give you some fun ideas for activities to do with your little ones (whether they are your own, or you are watching someone else's) and PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE feel inspired by this post to share YOUR fun activity ideas with the rest of us, as well!!

Katie Willman