by Faye Price

Created on: October 30, 2008   Last Updated: October 04, 2011

Play dough is a great, and inexpensive, "toy" to allow a child to learn about his senses. He can feel the dough as he molds and squishes it. By adding a few drops of scented oil or favourite spices, he can smell it as he rolls it around. He can watch great works of art unfold in front of him as he works the play dough. And he can even taste it if it is edible playdough!

While there are many sources of play dough in stores, some of the fun in play can be making the play dough with your child. A simple search on the Internet can turn up thousands of different recipes. One of the favourites in our family is:

1 cup flour 1 cup water

1/4 cup salt 2 tsp food colouring

2 tbsp cream of tartar 1 tbsp vegetable oil

In a medium pot, mix the flour, salt, and cream of tartar together. Combine and add the water, food colouring, and oil. Cook over medium heat and stir about 3 to 5 minutes. It will look like a globby mess and you will be sure that it is not turning out but it will! When it forms a ball in the centre of the pot, turn it out and knead on a lightly floured surface. Store in an airtight container or plastic bag. This is an edible playdough, although it is not the most palatable!

If we want different colours of playdough, I will divide the recipe into smaller portions, depending on how many colours that we want. I will also add different scents, such as cinnamon at Christmas time. Then, not only do the children get the benefit of playing with a fun toy, but the house smells great too!

Along with different scents and colours, different small objects can be added to the play dough to add some textural interest. Spiders and bugs can be added for boys to dig through and find. Shiny buttons or stones could be added for girls to discover. Sand also makes a good addition. The ideas are only as limited as your imagination!

Another good and interesting playdough is a Coffee Play Dough. Not only does it smell great, it has a stimulating texture and is a great way to use up leftover coffee grounds.

Coffee Play Dough

2 cups used coffee grounds 1 1/2 cups cornmeal

1/2 cup salt water

flour

Mix all ingredients until pliable. Add water and flour as needed to achieve a working consistency.

Let your kids play with this dough in the morning of during afternoon blues for a great pick-me-up for yourself!

The most important thing about play dough is let your imagination run wild. There should be no limitations on what can be made. And join your kids in the fun!

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