apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

A couple of other neat additions — online I've seen suggestions to add pumpkin-pie spice (to scent the dough deliciously). I've also added glitter to the dough before, which kids like.

I love homemade playdough! You can add lavender, peppermint or other essential oils too, just a drop or two works just fine! Lemon, cinnamon, etc.

I just wrote a post last night about a great new website called Garnish, where they sell great packaging items and give lots of fun entertaining ideas. One of their ideas is a "Play Dough to Go" party favor. Here's the link: http://www.thinkgarnish.com/store/Scripts/groupview.asp?recID=20

If you use boiling water, you don't have to cook it on the stove - it's heaps easier.

I also add flavourings to match the colours - pink is strawberry, green is chocolate & mint, etc... using Queens flavouring and essences from the supermarket (in Australia)..

I'm dying to find a musk flavouring - it would be perfect for a soft pink playdough!

Oh, and my 4 year old is past wanting to eat the playdough, so we can make it smell all sorts of lovely!

Using kool-aid is the best way ever to color and scent it all at once without worrying about gross harmful stuff.

That looks like a lot of work. Just purchasing "cream of tartar" seems like work.

my mom was a nursery school teacher...
she always added hand-lotion to her homemade play dough (how nice that now that we have essential oils to choose from!) It kept the dough nice and pliable, and made both kids and her hands soft!

Homemade playdough ROCKS! Years ago I made a set of 12 colors for my friend's four kids for christmas. The kids loved it........the mom wasn't so thrilled, LOL

I just made playdough for my little one two days ago using a similar recipe. I wanted to go all-natural for this batch, so I tried making vegetable dyes out of blueberries and carrots, but that was a little messy. The blueberries make a nice pink, though. I've decided to buy some all-natural dyes from to add to the rest. If anyone else is interested in the dyes, the link is: http://www.seelecttea.com/index.php?cPath=41

The most liberating day of my life was the day I found out I could ban playdough from my home. No more messes in shag carpet; no more jamming my pricey vacuum. Free at last.

I just made some! Used the Wilton paste coloring and getting some rich colors. I'm thinking of making this for some gifts this year. Plus - we can use it to replace Cranium clay for our friends.

Play dough - fabulous, almost-free fun! It's been decades since I made it, but I'm about to make a batch to introduce our 15-month-old grandbaby to it.

Some thoughts:

- You don't have to make 12 colors, or even two. They'll just get all mixed together, anyway. Easy way: Make one color. Next time, make another.

- My recipe (below) calls for boiling water. It's dead easy. Just do the kneading with rubber gloves on, because it's HOT at first. It has a wonderfully silky texture that even adults can't resist.

- Play dough in the rug? Not a problem! Choose an easy-clean place (such as a table) for the play area. Play dough stays there. It does not get carried through the house, and it's stored nearby. Sit with the kids and mess around with them - great stress reliever!

- Scrounge in your kitchen drawers for utensils you don't use, and keep them with the play dough. Old table knives, wire whips, etc.

Our play dough recipe (you can double it for a big batch):

2-1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon powdered alum
1/2 cup salt
2 cups water
3 tablespoons salad oil
food coloring

Mix dry ingredients in bowl. Bring water to a boil, add oil and coloring. Pour over dry ingredients while stirring. Knead well until smooth (careful - it's hot).

Store in a ziplock back or plastic storage container, at room temperature.

You can find alum with first-aid supplies in the drugstore section or pickling/canning supplies in the grocery store.