Sparkly Snow Playdough

We have been making our own playdough for a little over a year now and I think it's safe to say that we have nailed down the perfect recipe.  It's smooth and creamy, the kids love playing with it and it last far beyond the point that we need it to (you know, when the mixing of colors gets way too out of control).  So this week we decided to make Sparkly Snow Playdough to compliment our study of winter and snow. 

What you will need:

• 1 cup of flour
• 1 cup of water 
• 1/4 cup of salt 
• 3-4 TBS of cooking oil 
• glitter 

Directions:

1. Mix your flour, water, salt and oil in a medium pan on medium heat.  Stir continuously until the playdough begins to cook.  Don't over cook or it will dry out, don't undercook or it will be sticky.  There seems to be a science to this. 
2. Once the playdough is done, remove from heat, allow to cool, and knead in as much or little glitter as your heart desires. 
3. Enjoy!  

Homemade Pumpkin Pie and Vanilla Frosting Playdough

A few months back we made an awesome batch of  rainbow Jell-O Playdough.  I was totally skeptical because I had read multiple playdough gone bad stories where the dough was molding if not kept in the refrigerator.  I am happy to report that we hit the homemade playdough recipe lottery recipe because I JUST threw away the last little bit of playdough that we made back in March and only because the colors had all blended so tightly together there were no colors left.  So today I was talking to my girlfriend about school and she was telling me that every year around this time she makes her kids pumpkin pie playdough.  What?! Brillllllliant!!  After confessing to each other that we had both tasted our homemade playdough only to be majorly disappointed by it, we shared a good laugh questioning why would have expected anything more.  Seriously, make this stuff and share in the temptation to lick your very own homemade playdough.  

Pumpkin Pie Playdough Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of white flour
• 1 cup of water 
• 1/4 cup of salt 
• 2 TBS of cooking oil 
• 2 TBS of pumpkin pie spice 
• Orange food coloring

NOTE: Many recipes called for 1-2 TBS of Cream of Tartar.  I made the play-dough with and without and noticed no difference. Do yourself a favor and save the money. 

Directions:

1. Mix all of your ingredients in a pan and heat on low for about 5 minutes. Don't overcook or it will by dry and yucky.  
2. Remove from heat, allow to cool, knead.  

NOTE: What I found to make the biggest difference in consistency was the cook time.  Overcooking the play-dough definitely made it dry and not as pliable.  

Vanilla Frosting Playdough Recipe:

• 1 cup of white flour
• 1 cup of water 
• 1/4 cup of salt 
• 2 TBS of cooking oil 
• 2 TBS vanilla extract 

Directions:

1. Mix all of your ingredients in a pan and heat on low for about 5 minutes. Don't overcook or it will by dry and yucky.  
2. Remove from heat, allow to cool, knead.  

DIY JELL-O Playdough

My kids adore playdough, and although most of it ends up ground into the fibers of my area rugs, I still continue to buy it. Today I took the insanity a step further and by made our very own homemade playdough.  I found a lot of recipes online and after I had settled on my favorite, I starting reading the (mixed) reviews.  Comments that the dough was too sticky and others that said the dough ended up covered in mold after a few days (although apparently refrigeration will keep the dough mold-free for two weeks) were enough to turn me away.  I began to question if the reason for the sticky and moldy results could possibly be due to the high content of sugar in the Jell-O mix. So, I decided to carry on with my playdough journey using sugar free Jell-O and crossing my fingers that I don't open a jar full of sticky moldy playdough.  I have not confirmed this theory by the way, but will update when I have.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup of white flour
• 1 cup of water 
• 1/4 cup of salt 
• 2 TBS of cooking oil 
• 1 pack of sugar free JELL-O

NOTE: Many recipes called for 1-2 TBS of Cream of Tartar.  I made the play-dough with and without and noticed no difference. Do yourself a favor and save the money.  I wish I had! 

NOTE: What I found to make the biggest difference in consistency was the cook time.  Overcooking the play-dough definitely made it dry and not as pliable.  

DIRECTIONS:
Mix all of your ingredients in a pan and heat on low for about 5 minutes. Don't overcook or it will by dry and yucky.  

Here you can see that the play-dough is starting to cook.  Once it is almost entirely cooked, remove it from the pan. 

Knead your play-dough until it is smooth.  If it seems to still be a little sticky,  add a little flour coating and continue to knead. 

The finished product.  It smells good, and yes....YES I DID LICK IT!! and NO NO NO it does NOT taste good! Just think salt block.  HAHA!! 

These are 8oz Ball canning jars.  The amount of dough you see in these is about 1/3 of how much the batch made.  

As you can see, my sweet boy kept himself busy while mommy and sissy were cooking.  

So far it's a big hit....2 hours later :)

UPDATE!

Three days later and the playdough is still in great shape, soft, and not moldy.  It is currently being pushed to the limits by eight little hands and after a LONG and crazy day, it seems to be taking a very therapeutic effect on the subjects!

UPDATE:
10/01/2013
The final bit of playdough has been thrown out and I am happy to report that it was not because of mold like many users of the other recipes were reporting.  Colors had gotten jumbled together beyond recognition and it was just time to go.