Making Craft Dough

Craft dough, home made play-doh, clay, baking dough, whatever you call it, it's fun!  You can make moldable dough for your kids to play with, or even yourself.  You can then bake the dough to make hardened creations that can be laced, threaded, stacked, played with and more!  You can also make your own face paints, finger paints, bubble solutions and more!  Here are some recipes to get you started:

Modeling Clay

2 cups salt

2/3 cup water

1 cup cornstarch

½ cup water (cold)

Stir salt and water over heat for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cornstarch and cold water. Mix until smooth, return to heat and cook until thick. Cool before using. Store in plastic bag.

Simple Playdough

3 cups flour

1 ½ cups salt

6 tsp. cream of tartar

3 cups cool water

3 Tbsp oil

Food coloring

Mix dry ingredients in a big cooking pot. Blend liquids together in a bowl. Combine with dry ingredients and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat when dough pulls away from the sides of the pot and can be pinched without sticking (about 5 min.) Turn onto board or counter and knead until smooth play dough consistency. Store in an airtight container.

Uncooked Playdough

1 cup cold water

1 cup salt

2 tsp. vegetable oil

3 cups flour

2 tbsp. cornstarch

Tempera paint or food coloring

Mix water, salt, oil and enough paint to make bright colors. Gradually work flour and cornstarch to consistency of bread dough.

Nature's Playdough 

1 cup flour

½ cup salt

1 cup water

2 T oil

2 T cream of tartar

beet, spinach, and carrot juice

Mix flour, salt and oil, and slowly add the water. Cook over med. heat, stirring until dough becomes stiff. Turn out onto wax paper and let cool.  Knead the dough with your hands until of proper consistency. Use as is, or divide into balls and add a few drops of the vegetable juices to make green, pink, and orange.

Salt Playdough

1 cup salt

1 cup water

½ cup flour

Mix ingredients and cook over medium heat. Remove from heat when thick and rubbery. As mixture cools, knead in enough flour to make a workable dough.

REAL Playdough (so they say)

1 cup flour

1 cup water

1 T oil

1 T powdered alum

½ cup salt

2 T vanilla

food coloring

Face Paint

1 tsp. corn starch

½ tsp. water

½ tsp. cold cream

Food coloring

Cornstarch Finger Paint

3 tbsp. sugar

½ cup cornstarch

2 cups cold water

Food coloring

Soap flakes or liquid dishwashing soap

Mix sugar and cornstarch in medium saucepan over low heat. Add cold water and stir until mixture is thick. Remove from heat. Divide into four or five portions (in muffin tins or cups). Add a drop or two of food coloring to each portion and a pinch of soap flakes or soap. Stir and let cool. Store in airtight container.

Paper Mache Paste

1 cup water

1/4 cup flour

5 cups lightly boiling water

Mix flour into one cup water until mixture is thin and runny, stir into boiling water. Gently boil and stir for 3 minutes. Cool before using. (Use with newspaper/newsprint strips for Paper mache).

Beluga Bubbles

1 C. Warm Water

1/4 C. Blue Dishwashing Liquid

1 Tsp. Salt

Combine all ingredients. Mix well until salt dissolves.

Best Bubble Solution

1 c Water

2 tbsp Light Karo syrup OR 2 Tablespoons Glycerin

4 tbsp Dishwashing liquid

Mix together and have fun!

More Bubbles

½ C. Water

½ C. Liquid Detergent

1 Tbl. Cooking Oil

Mix together and use

Egg Dye

1/4 tsp. food coloring

3/4 cup hot water

1 tbsp. vinegar