Making Playdough

Playdough is a classic that everyone can have fun with and it's was so easy to make at home!

Basic ingredients
2 cups flour
2 cups warm water
1 cup salt
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon cream of tartar (optional for improved elasticity)

food coloring (liquid, powder, or unsweetened drink mix)
scented oils

Let's get started!

Mix and heat - Mix all of the ingredients together, and stir over low heat. The dough will begin to thicken until it resembles mashed potatoes. When the dough pulls away from the sides and clumps in the center, as shown below, remove the pan from heat and allow the dough to cool enough to handle.

IMPORTANT NOTE: if your playdough is still sticky, you simply need to cook it longer!
Keep stirring and cooking until the dough is dry and feels like playdough.

Time to knead and color! - Turn the dough out onto a clean counter or silicone mat, an Make a divot in the center of the ball, and drop some food coloring in. Fold the dough over, working the food color through the body of the playdough, trying to keep the raw dye away from your hands and the counter. You could use gloves or plastic wrap at this stage to keep your hands clean- only the concentrated dye will color your skin, so as soon as it's worked in bare hands are fine. Work the dye through, adding more as needed to achieve your chosen colors.

Break out the cookie cutter and other odds and ends from the kitchen and let them have fun! My kids used it for days until I had tho throw it out... not cause it went bad but it was an awful color from them mixing ALL the colors together! :)

•