Today, We Make Play Dough

 Today, We Make Playdough

This morning, I forgot that I was in charge of making the playdough for Ivy's preschool class. Oops. Easter made me forget.

BUT! In spite of my poor planning and absentmindedness (and mild obsession with stamp making and stamping [I will give an accounting of this at a later date]) I jumped up and whipped together a double batch in about a half hour.

I made it robin's egg blue for the robin's egg that the kids found when they went to the playground. It's also blue for the lovely spring sky.

Here's Ivy, helping me knead the dough, still warm. I was running so late that she didn't get to help me stir this time, but a good kneader is a big help, so... luckily she was ready, willing and able.

In case you'd like to whip together some last minute play dough before school time, I thought I'd share with you my recipe (from the preschool teacher) and also so next time I'm running around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to find that little piece of paper with the recipe, I will have a back up. It's a pretty good recipe, smooth and soft and pliable. This is the recipe I used for Ivy's birthday, when I added a tube of glitter to the mix to make it fairy play dough.

Preschool Play Dough (cooked)

1 cup flour

1/2 cup salt

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 cup water

1tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon food coloring

• Combine flour, salt and cream of tartar in a saucepan.
• Mix liquids and gradually stir them into the dry ingredients.
• When mixture is smooth, cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until ball forms.
• Remove from heat and knead until smooth.

NOTE: This is a very pliable and long-lasting dough with a more elastic consistency than uncooked dough. Student teachers voted this their favorite play dough recipe.