Play dough is a really fun and simple craft to make with kids.
Years ago I used to buy the Playdough brand in bulk for my kids and every time my kids played with it my husband got a migraine.
Which is pretty wild since it didn’t have “fragrance”, it was simply the chemical product smell. Which also got me thinking that it probably wasn’t healthy for little kids’ skin/bodies seeing as we absorb so much through that largest organ.
Here’s a simple recipe I use to make easy Playdough. It’s fun to make with kids as they can help knead the dough after it’s cooked and even mix in the food coloring if you want to add color.
You could just use regular food coloring. However, my daughter is very sensitive to food dye so I don’t typically buy them. A few years ago we made some Playdough as a gift for friends whose daughter also couldn’t tolerate regular food dye so I purchased Watkins Natural food coloring.
It is deep in my heart to one day figure out how to make my own food coloring with herbs, flowers and plants that I grow. But today with 8 kids, pregnant, homeschooling, getting our gardens in and approaching the cusp of another short summer developing our wildwoods homestead in northern Alberta; today is not that day ha ha!
The Watkins natural food coloring is not as vibrant but still creates beautiful soft colors in this play dough recipe.
This Playdough lasts quite well if you keep it sealed and it makes a great handmade gift too. We add some kid safe essential oils to add calming scents too.
I buy my oils in bulk from New Directions ; they’re nicely priced and high quality. I’m not affiliated with them, I just love them.
Here’s our Handmade Play Dough Recipe:
4 Cups Flour
1.5 Cups Salt
8 TSP Cream of Tarter
4 TBS Coconut Oil
4 Cups Warm Water
Begin by adding all of the dry ingredients to a stock pot and whisk.
Next, add the coconut oil and water and mix well.
Heat everything on medium to low while stirring. I find all flour is different. I just buy cheap flour at Walmart for this and sometimes I have to add a bit more flour as I’m heating and stirring. If it seems too liquidy you can add a little more flour.
As your dough heats up the water will cook off.
It will look like such a mess but that’s ok. It will come together, just keep heating and stirring and sort of flipping the dough around the pot to cook it through.
The dough will be hot so carefully pinch off a small piece. If you can roll it between your fingers without sticking then it’s ready to be turned out onto a cutting board to be kneaded. I knead it first to cool it off before handing it over to my kids to mix the coloring and essential oils in.
Once cooled and kneaded, I cut my dough into fourths then fold in the food coloring followed by whatever essential oil we chose for that colors.
We made this batch for my nephew’s birthday and we are gifting him some plants from our greenhouse too so he can grow his own little garden in town.
To keep with the garden theme we chose an herbal blend of essential oils for these: lavender, marjoram, sage, rosemary and orange since orange blends so beautifully with pretty much everything. You can choose whatever oils/ combinations you prefer.
I hope you enjoy making your own custom play dough!
Warmest Blessings,
Ashley
