We use this playdough every week, and so many people have asked for it that we've included it here.
Ingredients:
200g (7 oz) plain flour
100g (3½ oz) salt
10ml (2 teaspoons) cream of tartar
15ml (1 tablespoon) oil
300ml (12 fl oz) water
Food colouring to suit
Using a saucepan
Put the flour, salt, cream of tartar and oil into a large saucepan.
Add the food colouring to the water. The more you use, the darker your finished dough will be.
Put the pan over a low-to-medium heat and cook, stirring constantly. This is quite hard work - the mixture will be very liquid at first, then begin to
thicken suddenly.
Continue to stir until the dough becomes very stiff.
Remove the pan from the heat and scrape out the dough with a wooden spoon onto a smooth surface.
Put the pan to soak immediately. Warning : it looks very tempting at this stage, but the inside will still be very hot. Before using, slice it in
half with a knife and test it carefully with your finger. You can roll it out to make it cool more quickly.
Knead it thoroughly until it becomes pliable and holds its shape well.
Using a microwave
This method involves much less physical effort and produces excellent results. The instructions given are for a 650 watt oven, so adjust accordingly.
Mix the ingredients as for pan-cooked playdough, but use a large bowl suitable for microwave use.
Put the bowl, uncovered, in the microwave. Cook on full power for 2 minutes.
Using oven gloves, remove it from the oven and stir well.
Replace the bowl and continue cooking until the mixture starts to leave the side of the bowl and becomes very stiff - cook for about 2 minutes at a
time, stirring well in between.
Using oven gloves, remove from the oven onto a heat-proof surface.
Scrape out the dough with a wooden spoon onto a smooth surface.
Allow to cool. If the playdough sticks to your hands or the surface, it hasn't been cooked enough. Return it to the bowl and cook for 1 minute at a time
until you have the desired consistency.
Storing playdough
Playdough needs to be kept in an airtight container to stop it drying out. A polythene food bag inside an airtight box or jar is fine. It doesn't need to be
kept in the fridge.
If left exposed to the air, a salty crust forms on it. You can rescue it by kneading it thoroughly with a little cooking oil.
Other Activities
Try these sites for lots of great things to keep your children busy!
