Sometimes we like to get outside and enjoy the fresh air, and sometimes we want our kids to just play quietly so we can have just 5 minutes peace, right?

 

With my teenager planted firmly in-front of a laptop in her room, it’s just the 4 yr old I need to entertain. A firm fave of hers is the dreaded playdough! I hate the stuff, it flings off everywhere, and is guaranteed to stick to someones foot and get walked into a carpet somewhere, but she loves it, and to be honest, it’s the only thing that will keep her completely engaged for at least and hour or two.

 

As a former nursery nurse, I have made my fair share of playdough, and as a mum, I am always trying to save a little money where I can, so this make at home dough recipe is such a winner, its quick, cheap, easy, lasts for months & you can create whatever scent you want ( instead of that sickly, new plastic baby doll smell ).

 

The recipe I use doesn’t require any cooking, and apart from the addition of boiling water, the kiddies can pretty much make it themselves ( my inner control freak struggles with this a little ) So after it’s made up, you can leave the little lovelies to it, and make yourself a brew, cook dinner in peace or even have a wee in private, for an hour or 2, the world is your oyster.

 

You will need:

• 2 cups of plain flour
  
• 1 cup of table salt
• 3 tablespoons of cream of tartar 
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil ( or any oil ) 
• 2 cups of boiling water
• 1 teaspoon of peppermint oil ( or any scented food safe oil )
• food colouring 

 

 

 

What o do:

 

Measure out the flour

Add to a large mixing bowl

Measure salt and add to the flour

Measure out the veg & peppermint oils and add to bowl, maybe offer a little help to younger children

Add in the freshly boiled water, definitely the grown ups job

Give it all a good mix, being careful not to splash the hot water

Poor out onto work surface

Need the dough, the children can do this, but mine wanted to take the pics

I like to separate into four as it makes a large ball ( but do however many you want ), add the food colouring, to get desired colour and intensity

Et voila… Playdough

This really is a great DIY.

My little girl played with the dough for an hour after helping to make it & photograph it! She made some lovely creations, including Mumma’s nipples… nearly spat my drink out when she showed me that little creation ( I’ll spare you the visual ), the husband was very amused!

Thanks for checking this out, I hope you give it a go.

 

T xx