Play Dough Recipes
and
Homemade Craft Recipes

IMPORTANT: These play dough recipes and other kid craft recipes on this page should not be eaten. They're meant for craft fun only. So have fun and be safe!

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Play Dough Recipes

Cooked Play Dough

3 cups flour
1 cup salt
6 teaspoons cream of tartar
3 cups water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Food coloring

Mix flour, salt, and cream of tartar in a large saucepan. Blend water and oil together in a bowl. Add to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until it thickens. Add several drops of food coloring until you get the right color. Cook for about five minutes. Take the play dough out of the saucepan and put it on a cutting board or counter and knead for a few minutes. Add flour if it's too sticky.

This play dough should last around three months if you keep it sealed in an airtight container or plastic ziplock bag. It's so smooth and fun to play with when it's still warm.



No Fuss Play Dough

1 cup cold water
1 cup salt
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Food coloring

In a large bowl, mix together water, salt, oil and a few drops of food coloring. Mix flour and cornstarch and add 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly (you may need a little more or a little less than 2 cups flour so make sure you stir in until it is the right consistency). Knead for a few minutes with flour on your hands.



Oatmeal Play Dough

1 cup flour
1 cup water
2 cups oatmeal

Mix everything together in a large bowl. Then knead for a few minutes. This play dough has a nice lumpy texture.

Smelly Tip: For nice smelling play dough, add a few drops of vanilla extract, almond extract, or peppermint extract to any of these play dough recipes.

Also according to Courtnee "a package of flavored Kool-Aid will add smell to the playdough, then you are working with manipulation, touch and smell senses" for a multi-sensory play experience.

Homemade Clay Recipes

Baked Craft Clay

4 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Food coloring
1 egg, beaten

Mix together and knead until smooth. Separate into parts and add a few drops of different colors of food coloring. Make shapes and brush egg over the top. Put shapes on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven at 300F degrees for about one hour until the clay is golden. Seal with shellac to make shiny. Paint them for fun.

No Bake Craft Clay

2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 cup water
Food coloring

Mix together and add food coloring. Refrigerate for a few hours. Store in airtight container or plastic ziplock bag.



Homemade Clay

2 cups salt
3/4 cup water
1 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup water

Mix salt and 3/4 cup water in a saucepan over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add cornstarch and 1/2 cup water. Stir and heat again on medium heat until smooth and thick. Refrigerate for a few hours. Store in airtight plastic ziplock bag.

Cinnamon Apple Clay

1 cup applesauce
1 cup flour
1 cup cinnamon
1/2 cup white school glue
Food coloring

Mix together in a bowl and add food coloring. Refrigerate for a few hours until the clay is firm.

Other Homemade Craft Recipes

Homemade Silly Putty

2 cups white school glue
1 cup liquid starch

Mix together and set aside until dry. Store in an airtight container.

Gooey Goop

1/2 cup water
2 cups cornstarch
Food coloring

In a large bowl, mix together water and cornstarch until smooth. Add food coloring and stir.
Play with goop on a plastic covered surface or on newspaper.

Silly Play Goop

2 cups cornflour
2 cups warm water
3 cups flour

In a mixing bowl, add two cups cornflour and 1 cup water. Mix until it becomes liquid. Pour liquid in a saucepan on low heat and add the three cups flour. Mix while gradually adding water.

Turn off stove and put the dough on the table for kids to play with. It will stick to your hands but that's okay. Pour a little flour on the table or on children's hands. Keep playing with it until it doesn't stick. You can also store in ziploc bags.

*Thanks to Fatima from Kuwait for this Silly Play Goop recipe. Fatima says this Goop is great to stretch and model with.

Silly Slime

1 cup room temperature water
1 cup white school glue
Food coloring
1 1/3 cups warm water
4 tablespoons Borax laundry booster

Mix together room temperature water, glue, and food coloring in a medium bowl. Set aside. In another bowl, mix together warm water and Borax until completely dissolved.

Next, slowly pour the glue mix into the second bowl with the Borax solution, but do not mix them together.

Roll the glue mix around in the Borax solution (around 4 or 5 times). Then lift the glue mix out of the Borax solution. Knead for 2-3 minutes.

Store the slime (the glue mix) in an airtight container or plastic ziplock bag.

NOTE: Be careful when using Borax around young children. Do not ingest and avoid contact with eyes.

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Have you got more fun kid craft ideas you'd like to contribute such as other play dough recipes, goop recipes, slime recipes, or recipes for homeade silly putty or homeade clay for kids crafts?