Hummingbird Educational Resources

Lotsa Lesson Plans - PLAY-DOH RECIPES

updated 08/08

BETTER PLAYDOUGH TIP:
Try substituting baby oil for vegetable oil in playdough recipes. The smell is wonderful and the playdough itself will not mold or get that rancid odor . It remains soft for a very long time.

PERFECT PLAY DOUGH

Although this recipe takes a little longer than some to make, the final product is well worth the added minutes.

2 cups flour
1 cups salt
2 cups water
2 tablespoons baby oil ( works better than regular oil)
2 tablespoons cream of tarter
liquid food coloring

Combine dry ingredients. Add water and oil. Stir well. Microwave on high 4 to 5 minutes. Stir again. Microwave another minute. Stir. Continue to microwave one minute, then stir, until dough is the consistency of mashed potatoes. Cool it enough to touch. Knead in food coloring until dough is desired color. Store in an air-tight container or ziploc bag.

JUST LIKE REAL PLAYDOUGH

1 cup flour
1 cup water
1 tablespoon powdered alum
2 cup salt
2 tablespoons vanilla
food coloring

Mix all dry ingredients. Add oil and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until reaching the consistancy of mashed potatoes. Remove from heat and add vanilla and food coloring. Divide into balls and work in color by kneading.

STAY FRESH DOUGH
1 cup flour
1 cup salt
1 tablespoon alum
1 tablespoon oil
7/8 cup boiling water

Mix together flour, salt, alum and oil in a bowl.

PLAYDOUGH TIP: You can use playdough to enhance nearly any theme in your curriculum.

BEST PLAYDOUGH
You can triple or quadruple this recipe and cook it in a large pot with good results.
1 cup flour
¼ cup salt
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon oil food coloring (cake decorator’s paste or liquid makes great colors)
1 tablespoon imitation vanilla extract

Combine the flour, salt and cream of tartar in saucepan. Add the water and food coloring. Whisk until smooth. Cook over medium heat until playdough is nearly set. Add the vanilla extract. Stir until blended, then remove and knead when cool. Store in ziploc bag or airtight container.

DURABLE PLAYDOUGH
1 cup flour
½ cup cream of tartar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 to 2 cups flour

Mix the flour and cream of tartar together in a heavy saucepan. Add the water and cooking oil. Stir while cooking over medium heat until it sticks together in a ball and looks like stiff mashed potatoes, 3 to 5 minutes. Dump onto a plate to cool a few minutes and then knead into the mixture about 1 or 2 cups of flour. Store in a plastic bag (no need to refrigerate).

QUICK AND EASY MODELING DOUGH
¾ cup flour
½ cup salt
1-½ teaspoons powdered alum
1 ½ teaspoons vegetable oil
½ cup boiling water
food coloring

Mix flour, salt and alum in a mixing bowl. Add vegetable oil and boiling water. Stir vigorously with a spoon until well blended. Dough should not stick to the sides of the bowl and should be cool enough to handle. Add food coloring and knead into dough until color is well blended and the dough is the desired tint.

SALT AND ALUM MODELING DOUGH
1 cup flour
1 cup salt
1 rounded teaspoon alum
1/3 to ½ cup water at room temperature

Mix dry ingredients. Slowly add the water until you get a desirable consistency. Knead until clay like

KOOL-AID PLAYDOH
3 ½ cups flour
½ cup salt
4 packages of unsweetened KoolAid
3 Tablespoons of oil
2 cups of boiling water

Mix the dry ingredients then slowly add the oil and water as you stir. Keep stirring until it is cool enough to knead. Knead well. Store in air tight containers.
*You can vary the flavor/color to suit your themes.

GOO
1 cup starch, add water until desired consistancy.
Food coloring

It's wet, but it has a dry feeling. FUN FOR ALL AGES! Kids love it and the texture. Put newspaper down, they like to drizzle it into designs.

SNOWMAN PLAYDOUGH
1-1/3 cups salt
1-1/3 cups flour
1 tablespoon oil
water

Directions:   Mix the salt, flour and oil together.  Add a little water at a time until you have a big ball of dough.  ** I was leery of this as 
there was no measurement, but I just added a bit at a time and worked the dough and soon it came together.**  Knead the dough on a 
floured surface until very smooth and elastic.  If too dry, add water; if too moist, put more flour on the surface. 

When making snowman sculptures, flour working surfaces so it won't stick.  To join 2 pieces of dough, just moisten both edges with 
water and press together.

When ready to harden the dough, either let them air dry for at least 48 hours, or bake them in the oven.  Set oven to 325 - 350 
degrees F (not higher), and bake on foil covered sheets.  Allow for approx. 1/2 hour for each 1/2 inch of thickness or until surfaces turn 
light golden brown.  If the sculptures puff up, turn down your oven and poke a pinhole in the dough to release the air.

After drying, they can be painted with water colours, acrylics, enamels or spray paints. 

SNOW PLAYDOH
Snow Playdough
1 cup Ivory Snow laundry detergent
2 cups warm water
food colouring
electric hand mixer or egg beater
Add food colouring to water then add to laundry detergent.  Mix with 
beater until fluffy. Use just like playdough.

CHOCOLATE SCHENTED PLAY DOH
Flour
Cocoa powder
Salt
Cream of tartar
Cooking oil
Boiling water

Mix 1 1/4 cups of flour, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1/2 cup salt, 1/2
Tablespoon cream of tartar. Add 1 1/2 Tablespoons cooking oil, 1 cup
boiling water.
Stir quickly, mix well. Cook over low heat until dough forms a ball.
When cool, mix with your hands. Store in airtight container. It smells
good enough to eat but tastes awful so kids won't eat!

FLUBBER
Container #1:
1 1/2 cups of very warm water
2 cups of Elmer's white glue
food coloring (a few drops)
glitter (if desired)
Mix this combination thoroughly.
Container #2:
1 1/3 cups of very warm water
3 level teaspoons of Borax (20 Mule Team Borax, in the laundry aisle
at the store)
Mix this combination thoroughly
Now, once the individual containers are mixed thoroughly, mix the contents of container #2 into container #1. Lift and turn the mixture now, until it is combined. Some liquid may be left at the bottom of the container. Pour off that liquid.
Remove flubber and place on a tray. Let is stand for a moment.
Enjoy!!! Flubber will keep for about 2 weeks. Store in an airtight container. Ziplocks work great. It may stain fabric especially when fresh so keep away from carpet areas and maybe use smocks/shirts.

CHOCOLATE PLAYDOH
Chocolate Play Dough
2 cups water
1/2 cup salt
2 Tablespoons cream of tartar
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup cocoa
2 cups Flour

In a medium-sized pot, bring the water and salt to a boil. Stir in
the remaining ingredients; then allow the mixture to cool slightly.
Knead the dough until it reaches a smooth doughy consistency.
Then store the dough in a resealable plastic bag.

Gingerbread Playdough
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 cup water
1 tsp. veg. oil
lots of cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, whatever!
(the recipe called for food coloring, red and green to make brown, but I didn't need any after I threw in my spices).
DIRECTIONS:
Mix the dry ingredients.  Play with the spices till you get the scent you want and the color.  Mix water and oil together first and THEN add them to the dry ingredients and stir.  In a pot, cook the mixture for two to three minutes, stirring frequently.  The dough will start to pull away from the sides of the pan and clump together.  Take the dough out of the pan and knead the dough until it becomes soft and smooth.  Allow to cool and store in an
air tight container.

GAK (HOMEMADE SILLY PUTTY)
1 cup white glue (Elmer's)
1 c liquid starch
food coloring

Put glue and coloring in plastic container. Add starch a little at a time, stirring constantly. Keep stirring until mixture
holds together like putty. Test with your fingers, if too sticky, add more starch in small amounts until mass is smooth
and rubbery. Have fun pulling, stretching, bouncing and taking transfers off of the Sunday comics, etc. Store in a plastic bag
or airtight container.

MODELING CLAY
1 box baking soda -- (16 oz.)
1 cup cornstarch
1 1/4 cups cold water
Food coloring as desired

In a large mixing bowl, combine soda and cornstarch. In a
two-cup measure, combine water and food coloring. Pour colored
water over soda mixture. Stir until smooth. Microwave at high
for 4-8 minutes, stirring after every minute until mixture is
firm. Cover with a damp towel until cool. Knead until
smooth.
Store in airtight containers or plastic bags

PAPIER-MÂCHÉ
Tear four large newspaper sheets into small pieces. Place pieces in container with two quarts of water and let soak overnight. The next morning, place mixture in a cooking pan and boil for 20 minutes. Using a whisk, whip the paper mixture until it is soft and pulpy. Place the mixture in a strainer, tapping several times to shake out the water. Squeeze gently until the mixture is a soft, pulpy, moist lump. Place pulp
into a bowl and stir in tow tablespoons of liquid Elmer's Glue (PVA) then 2 tablespoons of wallpaper paste. Stir until the mixture is not lumpy. This makes on quart of papier-mâché mash.

Notes: Sanded or not, papier-mâché objects my be painted with any water-based paint. To waterproof surfaces of papier-mâché objects and make them more durable, spray the finished object with a clear vinyl sealer or give it at least three coats of lacquer. To fireproof an object, stir in one teaspoon of sodium phosphate to each cup of paste for strips or to each cup of water when making mash.

SOAP FLAKE FINGER-PAINTS
1 cup Ivory Soap Flakes
enough water to give a consistency to that of whipped cream

Mix the water and soap flakes; beat with a rotary beater until creamy. Add food coloring for different colors.

COOKED FINGER-PAINTS
1 cup flour
2 tsp salt
3 cups cold water
2 cups boiling water
food coloring -- as desired

Mix the flour and salt in an electric skillet, add the cold water and stir until smooth. Add the hot water and stir until
boiling. Boil until clear, then add desired food coloring. Mix until smooth.

UNCOOKED FINGER-PAINTS
1 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup water
food coloring -- as desired

Mix flour and salt, add water. Mixture will be grainy.

Cornstarch Fingerpaint
You'll Need:
3 Tbsp. sugar
½ C. cornstarch
Medium saucepan
2 C. cold water
Muffin tin or small cups
Food coloring
Soap flakes or liquid dishwashing detergent

Mix sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan.  Turn heat on low, add cold water, and stir until mixture is thick.  Remove from heat.  Divide mixture into four or five portions, spooning into muffin tin sections or small cups.  Add a few drops of food coloring and a pinch of soap flakes or a drop of liquid dishwashing detergent to each portion.  Stir and let cool before use.  Store covered.

OAT PLAY DOH
This playdough isn’t for dry but for tactile stimulation. Young children really enjoy this one. It has a rough texture and is great for exercising the hand muscles. You should use this dough the same day you make it.
Materials:
2 cups water
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup flour
cinnamon (optional ingredient)
Directions:
1. Heat the water until boiling.
2. Combine the boiling water and oatmeal in a mixing bowl.
3. Add enough flour to make a dough.
4. You can also add cinnamon for smell.
You can shape and reshape this dough. It doesn’t keep well and will mold within a day or two depending on your climate.

MICROWAVE PLAYDOH
Need: 6 tablespoons of cream of tartar, 3 cups plain flour, 4 tablespoons of
cooking oil, 1/2 cup of salt, 3 cups of water, food coloring/ powder paint/
or powder Kool-Aid.

Combine all ingredients in microwave proof dish and beat until smooth. Cover
with cling wrap and microwave for 7 minutes on high, stirring halfway
through cooking. If the mixture is still gooey, microwave for another
minute. Cool and store in an airtight container in fridge. (since all
microwaves cook different, be sure to watch the play dough while cooking.)

STRAWBERRY PLAY DOUGH
Submitted by Marjorie
Strawberry Dough
(works for all fruit)

1 0.3 ounce package of sugar free strawberry gelatin
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
4 Tablespoons cream of tarter
2 cups boiling water
2 Tablespoons cooking oil

Mix dry ingredients in pan, add the boiling water and cooking oil, stir over
medium heat until it forms a ball let cool.

I cut the picture from the gelatin box and use it to label my container.
It smells wonderful and the kids love it.

Play Clay WITHOUT FLOUR
Submitted by Kris
1 cup baking soda
1/2 cup  cornstarch
2/3 cup  warm water
food coloring or poster paints
shellac or clear nail polish
saucepan
board
1. mix baking soda and cornstarch in pan
2. add water and stir until smooth
3. over medium heat, boil and stir until like mashed potatoes
4. pour onto board to cool
5. knead when cool
6. for color, knead coloring into clay until blended or paint when finished
7. when dry, brush with shellac or nail polish
hints:
1. makes 1- 1/2  cups, doubles well
2. hardens quickly
3. stores in airtight container for several weeks

Funclay2
materials:
1 cup cornstarch
2 cups salt
1  1/3  cup cold water
paint
pan, bowl, spoon, plastic bag
1. put salt and 2/3 cup water in a pan and boil
2. mix cornstarch with remaining water in bowl and stir well
3. add salt mixture to cornstarch mixture in bowl
4. knead
5. model or mold clay and let dry several hours
6. paint when dry, if desired
hints:
1. makes 3 cups
2. keep unused clay in a covered container, or plastic bag in refrigerator

Peanut Butter Play dough WITHOUT FLOUR OR WHEAT
Submitted by Elise
(Good for a group of about 5 children)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup powdered milk
Mix all ingredients together, mold into shapes, and eat!!!!!
 (For a group of 20, buy 2 jars of honey, 1 large container of peanut butter, and 1 large box of powdered milk)

Sand modeling
Materials:
1 cup sand
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 tsp. Alum
3/4  cup hot water
food coloring (optional)
bowl, pan, airtight container

1. mix sand, cornstarch, and alum in bowl
2. add hot water, stirring vigorously
3. add food coloring if desired
4. cook over medium heat until thick in pan
5. cool
6. model or mold into objects
7. dry in sunshine for several days
8. store leftover dough in airtight container
hints:
1. makes 2 cups
2. grainy and stonelike
3. does not need shellac or varnish for protection

Play Clay
Materials:
1 cup baking soda
1/2  cup cornstarch
2/3  cup warm water
food coloring or poster paints
shellac or clear nail polish
saucepan
board
1. Mix baking soda and cornstarch in saucepan
2. add water and stir until smooth
3. over medium heat, boil and stir until like mashed potatoes
4. pour onto board to cool
5. knead when cool
6. for color, knead coloring into clay until blended or paint when finished
7. when dry, brush with shellac or nail polish

hints:
1. makes 1  1/2  cups, doubles well
2. hardens quickly
3. stores in airtight container for several weeks

Cornstarch Dough
Materials:
1/2  cup salt
1/2  cup hot water
1/4  cup cold water
1/2  cup cornstarch
pan
bowl
board
1. mix salt and hot water and boil in pan
2. stir cold water into cornstarch in bowl
3. add cornstarch mixture to boiling water and stir
4. cook over low, stirring until like pie dough
5. remove and turn onto a board
6. when cool, knead until smooth
7. explore dough freely

hints:
1. texture is grainy
2. hardens in 1 to 2 days
3. is white
4. speed drying time in oven 200 degrees fir 1 hour
5. keeps a long time if stored in container

Funclay
Materials:
1 cup cornstarch
2 cups salt
1  1/3  cups cold water
paint
pan, bowl, spoon, plastic bag
1. put salt and 2/3  cup water in a pan and boil
2. mix cornstarch with remaining water in bowl and stir well
3. add salt mixture to cornstarch mixture in bowl
4. knead
5. model or mold clay and let dry several hours
6. paint when dry, if desired

Hints:
1. makes 3 cups
2. keep unused clay in a covered container, or plastic bag in refrigerator

PLAYDOH RECIPES IDEAS FROM MUDWORKS
Submitted by Suzanne  SJame66996@aol.com
Salt Play dough
1 c water
1/2 c flour
1 c salt
Mix all ingredients in a saucepan.
Add food coloring as desired.
Stir over low heat.
Remove pan from heat when dough becomes thick and rubbery.
Spoon part of the clay onto a piece of floured wax paper.
Roll out dough using a rolling pin.
Cut out or shape as desired.
Dry objects for a few days.
Store unused dough in an airtight container.

Cornstarch Dough
1/2 c salt
1/2 c hot water
1/4 c cold water
1/2 c cornstarch
Mix salt & hot water together and bring to boil in saucepan.
Stir together cold water and cornstarch in a bowl, then add this to the salted water.
Reduce heat to low and cook until mixture has thickened, with a consistency of pie dough
Remove dough from the pan and place onto a board or tray to cool.
Knead dough until it is smooth.
Shape dough as desired.  Allow to air dry for 1 or 2 days, or dry in a 200° oven for 1 hour.
Store unused dough airtight.

Shampoo Dough
3/4 c flour
1/4 c white glue
1/4 c thick shampoo
Mix all ingredients in a bowl
Knead dough
Add more flour, as needed.
Model or roll and cut as desired.
Air dry
Paint as desired.

MORE PLAYDOH RECIPES IDEAS FROM MUDWORKS
Submitted by Kris
Sand modeling
1 cup sand
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 tsp. Alum
3/4  cup hot water
food coloring (optional)
bowl, pan, airtight container
1. mix sand, cornstarch, and alum in bowl
2. add hot water, stirring vigorously
3. add food coloring if desired
4. cook over medium heat until thick in pan
5. cool
6. model or mold into objects
7. dry in sunshine for several days
8. store leftover dough in airtight container
9. Does not need shellac or varnish for protection

Basic  Art  Dough
4 cups flour
1 cup iodized salt
1 3/4  cups warm water
bowl
1. mix all ingredients in bowl
2. knead 10 minutes
3. model as with any clay
4. bake 300 degrees until hard
5. or air dry for a few days

Glue-Shampoo Playdough 
Here’s a really fun dough … another new one on me, but really flexible. This 
dough is great for making coil pots and vases. You don’t have to cook this 
dough, not for the preparation stage or for the drying stage. When the projects 
are complete, just air dry to finish. 
Materials: 
½ cup white glue
1/3 cup shampoo
1 ½ cups flour

Directions: 
1. Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. 
2. Knead while in bowl to make a smooth dough. 
3. Model the dough. Is a really great dough for the coil method. 
4. Let objects dry for 1 or 2 days to finish, depending on thickness. 
5. You can paint the completely dried projects. 


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