How to Make Play Dough [Pin it and Do it]

Since before we went on our trip I have been dying to try this!!  It is so easy I vow never to buy play dough again.  Seriously, as easy as making oatmeal on the stove top and I finished it all in one nap time with time to spare.  PLUS I found everything I needed right there in my pantry and didn't have to buy anything extra.  HERE is the pin and the recipe can be found on Art Nest.

To save you some clicking time I posted the recipe and how to here.  What you will need [for 2.5 cups]:

1 1/2 cups of flour

3/4 cup of salt

1 1/2 cup of water

1 TB vegetable oil

1/2 TB cream of tarter

Food Coloring

Since Cindy has never played with play dough I didn't want to make a whole bunch so I cut this recipe in half.  If you don't have Cream of Tartar it looks like THIS .  This is a must in this recipe.  Mine has been sitting in my cabinet for years because the hubby didn't like the meringue cookies I made long long ago.

So according to the direction you place all the ingredients in a pot like so and set to a very low setting stirring occasionally.  It starts out all liquidy.

****On her directions she says to add the food coloring now if you are using liquid.  I only had the gel so I added mine later.  I am sure however that you can add the liquid later on as well.****

Don't leave it for too long because it comes together really fast.

Once it gets all doughy [about 5-8 minutes] take it out and lay it on some wax paper.  Knead the dough right and it will look like this.

Then, I split it up and threw a portion in the food processor with some of the gel food coloring.  You could probably use a blender.  Doing it this way gets a brighter and better color apparently.  It looks all weird at first.

But once you knead it, the play dough starts coming together and the food coloring soaks in.  I only did two colors and it came out just like play dough I was amazed!!!  My hubby was impressed too and he couldn't believe how much it felt like real play dough and the only thing it was missing was the smell.

As soon as Cindy woke up from her nap we sat at her table and gave it a test run.  She was really unsure about it and didn't want to touch it at first.  I was shocked she didn't try to eat it!  I rolled them into balls, gave her a bowl and she started putting them all inside.  She kind of played with it but I think she is too young right now to really enjoy it. Guess I will just have to make more when she gets a little older.