February 9, 2022, 3:47 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
Kneading, rolling, cutting out. No question–play dough is fun! Whether for younger or older kids, the colorful modeling clay sets no limits on the creativity of budding young artists and is a wonderful pastime. With just a few ingredients that most people already have at home, you can easily make play dough yourself in minutes.
Kneading is not only enjoyable but also educationally valuable. Whether as a creative rainy-day activity or to promote gross and fine motor skills, spatial awareness, and creativity, play dough is the all-around toy that should never run out. But don’t worry–if your play dough supplies are ever depleted, you can quickly and easily make play dough yourself with just a few ingredients. And the best part: The consistency of DIY play dough is very smooth, doesn’t crumble, and surpasses many store-bought versions! Even adults will be eager to join in. myHOMEBOOK reveals the recipe for making your own play dough.
Making Play Dough–What Do You Need?
Everything you need can likely be found in your kitchen cabinets. Here are the ingredients for DIY play dough.
Materials
- 500 g flour (type 405)
- 175 g salt
- 2.5 tbsp citric acid
- 7 tbsp sunflower oil
- 500 ml boiling water
- Food coloring
Note: Even though the play dough contains no harmful ingredients like chemical alum, younger children should never knead without supervision, as small parts that can be swallowed may occur. Additionally, the homemade play dough contains a high amount of salt and is therefore inedible.
Tools
- Bowls
- Disposable gloves
- Stand mixer/hand mixer
- Screw-top jars or storage containers
Also interesting: DIY Snow Crystals Crafting with Kids
DIY Play Dough: Step-by-Step Instructions
With our recipe, you can easily make play dough yourself in just a few minutes:
- Mix flour, salt, and citric acid in a bowl. Then add the oil and mix everything well with the dough hook of the hand mixer.
- Now add the boiling water to the mixture and mix for a few minutes.
- Divide the mixture into smaller portions.
- Place each portion in a bowl and add the desired food coloring. Knead the mixture by hand (remember to wear gloves!) until a homogeneous mass is formed and the play dough is evenly colored. Repeat this step for all desired play dough colors as desired.
- Ready, set, play!
Tip: If the play dough is packed airtight, such as in screw-top jars or storage containers, the homemade play dough will last for several months.