You can make great play dough so quickly & for next to nothing!
The quantities below make a ball of dough about 10cm diameter. If you have a large pan (e.g.
stock or preserving pan) you can simply multiply the quantites. I make it in multiples of 10+ for our local toddler
craft group.
The amount of food colouring required is very variable. For example if using blue liquid
colouring you may need half a bottle as opposed to a few drops of yellow.
1 cup plain flour
1 cup warm water
half a cup salt
1 tbsp cooking oil
2 tsp cream of tartar
Food colouring, as required
Put all the ingredients into a pan and mix thoroughly. Leave to stand for a few minutes
to allow the flour to absorb the water and the lumps to soften. If desired, use a hand blender to give a smoother mixture
(optional).
Cook the mixture over a low heat, stirring continuously. Remove from the heat when the
majority of the mixture has turned to dough. At this point DON'T PANIC - some bits will look more cooked than others.
Knead the dough until smooth. Allow to cool thoroughly, kneading occasionally to stop a skin forming, before placing
in an airtight container or bag.
Homemade Saltdough
Salt dough makes a great permanent modelling material. It can be coloured with food colouring
or, when dry, it can be easily painted. To make salt dough models more long lasting we recommend that acrylic varnish
is applied to the finished model.
2 cups plain flour
1 cup salt
approx 3/4 cup of luke warm water
Mix the flour and the salt. Slowly add the water until a firm, quite dry ball of dough
is formed (a food processor is useful for this but not essential). It is best to leave the dough at room temperature
for a few hours before using and the dough will become softer.
Before using knead well to smooth the dough and then shape as required. To harden the dough
can be baked in a low oven (<150 degrees Celsius) for a few hours - exact time depends upon the thickeness of the model.
Alternatively leave in a warm place (an airing cupboard is ideal) for a few days.
Saltdough model idea for young children & toddlers
HEDGEHOGS: A great autumn craft. Colour the dough brown and take
a golf ball size piece. Shape a snout then use cloves for nose and eyes. Break up some spaghetti into short
pieces and use to make the hedgehog spines.
We stock lots of tools which can be used with playdoh and other modelling materials
