Ingredients:
- 1 cup plain flour
- ½ cup salt
- 1 tbs cream of tartar
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 tbs oil
- 3 drops liquid food colouring
Method
- Mix all ingredients together in large bowl and mix until dough is pliable.
- Add extra flour as needed to achieve desired consistency.
- Store in an air tight container.
- Play dough is ready for children to use when cool.
Play dough is a regular feature of our classrooms at Maryland Care and Early Education but what are its benefits:
- Manipulating playdough, using hands and fingers to poke, pound, roll, shape and squeeze builds the small muscles in fingers and hands that will one day be needed for writing.
- Playdough encourages creativity and imagination as children shape and sculpt the dough.
- Children learn to compare, experiment, measure and sort as they create.
- Descriptive language is encouraged and vocabulary broadened when children talk about their actions, materials being used and creations with peers and adults.
- Children love playdough!
Adding props such as paddle pop sticks, patty pans, birthday candles, cookie cutters, straws, muffin tins, pasta, toy cars, large buttons, twigs, leaves, feathers and small toy people and animals to name a few can provide hours of fun and learning. Many of these props can be found around the home.
Gather some props and try using playdough at home with your child and experience the power of playdough for yourself.
