The wonders of homemade playdough!
Playdough can be made very easily using ‘ingredients’ that you have at home, and this simple activity has many benefits.
Before your child can hold a pen and learn to write, they need to strengthen and learn to control the muscles in their hands. Playdough is the perfect activity to exercise little fingers!
Basic playdough recipe
What you need:
- 2 cups of plain flour
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- ½ cup of table salt
- 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar
- Up to 1½ cups of boiling water (this part is for an adult!)
- Food colouring and essential oil (optional)
What to do:
- Mix the flour, salt and oil in a large bowl
- If you’re using food colouring, add it to the boiling water then pour into the flour mixture adding bit by bit and stirring together to form a sticky dough
- Allow it to cool down, then take it out of the bowl and knead it for a couple of minutes until the stickiness has gone
- At this point, you can also add a few drops of essential oil or other aromas such as herbs and spices
Top tips:
- Try some mark making with a selection of tools from around your home, such as – small world figures, a rolling pin, cookie cutters, cupcake cases, safety scissors, your child’s cutlery or even a garlic press!
- To keep the figures your child makes, bake them in the oven on a medium heat for approximately one hour and the play dough will harden