Quick & easy homemade play dough recipe

Toddler parents! If you’re anything like us, you’re going through play dough like it’s going out of fashion. It gets left out and goes hard, mysteriously ends up on the floor, gets covered in crumbs and dog hair or, in our case, gets eaten by the dog. 🙃

So instead of constantly buying new tubs of play dough only for them to meet their untimely demise, here’s how to make your own at home. It’s quick and easy, made with simple ingredients, and so much more affordable than buying new tubs every time. The perfect recipe for a fresh batch whenever you need it!

You will need:

2 cups flour

1 cup salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons cream of tartar

Food colouring of your choice

1½ cups boiling water

Method:

Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl.

Add the vegetable oil.

add your colouring of choice.

Slowly add the boiling water, stirring as you go until the mixture starts to come together.

Once the dough has come together, carefully tip it out onto the counter and knead for around 5 minutes, until smooth and soft.

If you’re making different colours, divide the dough and rather knead your chosen food colouring into each portion.

Storage:

Store your play dough in an airtight container or zip-lock bag when not in use. This will help keep it soft and ready for the next play session.

And that’s it! A fresh batch of homemade play dough ready for hours of squishing, rolling, cutting and creating. It’s a great sensory activity for little ones, helping them explore different textures while keeping their hands busy and their imaginations going. Plus, because it’s made with simple, non-toxic ingredients, it’s taste-safe for those inevitable little tastes but it’s definitely not meant to be eaten! 🙃

This is the play dough my mom used to make for us when we were little. I don't know where the original recipe came from, but it's one I've come back to again and again with my own kids.