On Friday we were supposed to be “getting buggy” at a playdate at the park with our friends from the SCP. I had special treats made and all of the supplies ready to go. Which of course is why it rained. The day before was probably the most beautiful day of the year. Friday, however, was one of the crummiest.
All of us were super bummed. I had promised Graham that he would be chasing down bugs and capturing them in jars that he would decorate. I promised lots of “ants on a log” and ladybug cupcake eating. Never promise a three-year-old anything without being sure you can deliver. It left me scrambling for fun ideas to do on Friday.
This is why I ended up doing a craft. I needed something to generate excitement, take up time, keep us indoors, and keep both kids entertained. I also needed it to include ingredients that I already had at home. Turns out, playdough is something that I had all of the ingredients to make. So that’s what we did.
It was quite simple and involved very little mess. Mixing the dough was enjoyable for Graham, and playing with it was fun for both kids. Turns out it doesn’t taste great. You shoulda seen Will’s face. Totally safe to eat, though, if your kids are so inclined. I’m sure it was the equivalent of a salt lick.
Anywho, here’s the recipe for you. It’s always good to have something up your sleeve to do with the kids if you ever get unexpectedly stuck at home on a rainy day.
“Edible”, No-Cook Playdough, makes two colors
In two bowls, measure 1/2 cup of lukewarm water into each, and color each bowl with food dye. Use 5-6 drops. I like to use colors that blend to make another fun color (i.e. blue/yellow so they can make green or blue/red so they can make purple.)
Swirl the water and dye and then add 1/2 cup of salt to each bowl, 1 cup of flour to each bowl, and 1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil to each bowl. Get your hands in there and mix it up. Now, it’s ready to go!
Bust out the rolling pin, cookie cutters, and ice cream scoops to encourage creative play! Have fun! After playtime, save dough in ziploc bags in the refrigerator. Several days later ours is still soft enough for play.
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