Little Chef – Homemade Play Dough

We make homemade play dough several times a year. It keeps well and I like that I know exactly what’s in it and it smells much better than commercial play dough.  I usually toss it once it has attracted too many bits of dirt/hair/crumbs.  We get hours and hours of fun out of a batch, and part of the fun is making it together.

My daughter loves to help in the kitchen.  I can’t remember the last egg I cracked, because that’s one of her favorite jobs.  She also loves measuring, mixing, touching, smelling, and tasting ingredients.  I think she has the makings of a good cook, and it runs in the family.  I think it’s important to involve her in the kitchen and garden so she is invested in what we grow and create.

This recipe makes enough dough to split into 4.

1 cup flour
1/4 cup salt
2 Tbsp cream of tartar
1 cup water
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
food coloring

Combine first five ingredients in a medium saucepan and stir with a wooden spoon until combined.  It will look like a sticky wet mess, but I promise it will become the right consistency.

Continue to stir over medium heat for about 5 minutes until mixture forms a ball in the center of the saucepan.

Dump the dough out onto a cutting board or clean countertop and knead.  Separate into 4 pieces and add several drops of food coloring to each piece.  Knead until the color is well distributed.

Store in an airtight container so it doesn’t dry out.