Make Delicious Homemade Playdough
This playdough is made from five common kitchen ingredients, and you can knead in food coloring to mix as many colors as you like.
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup of salt
- 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar
- 1 cup of water
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
- Food coloring (any colors you like)
- A mixing bowl
- A spoon
Mix it
- In the mixing bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and cream of tartar.
- In a separate cup, mix the water, vegetable oil, and a few drops of food coloring.
- Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients while stirring. Keep stirring until a dough forms.
- If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour. If it is too dry, add a tiny bit more water.
- Knead the dough with your hands for a few minutes until it is smooth.
- To make several colors, divide the dough into smaller balls and knead a few drops of a different food coloring into each one.
Why this works
Every ingredient is doing a job:
- Flour gives the playdough its body, so it holds a shape instead of slumping.
- Salt helps preserve it, so it does not go moldy in a few days.
- Cream of tartar also helps it last, and makes it softer to squash.
- Water lets everything mix together.
- Oil makes it smooth and stops it drying out and cracking.
- Food coloring does nothing at all to how it works — it is purely for fun.
Keep the playdough in a sealed tub or a food bag between plays, and it will stay soft for a long time.