Gifts for kids - play dough

Play dough is a great gift for children. I found the recipe that I used for my children when they were small, in one of my "scrap folders". It is basically the same recipe as for the salt dough, but you have to cook it to make a more pliable dough.

Note: This is probably one of the most popular recipes for play dough and every mom has her own "secret" ingredient or method to make the dough

I also found a lovely edible dough recipe made with mashed potatoes and the kids will enjoy eating their creations afterwards.

Play dough for kids:

Recipe 1

2 cups (500 ml) flour
2 cups (500 ml) water
1 cup (250 ml) salt
2 tablespoons (30 ml) cooking oil
2 teaspoons (10 ml) cream of tartar
Food coloring

Mix all the ingredients in a sauce pan. Cook on the stove over medium heat until the mixture thickens and does not stick to the sides of the pan. Remove the dough, let cool for a few minutes and knead until smooth and pliable.

Use the food coloring to make different colored dough either by adding the food coloring to the dough drop for drop until the required color is achieved, or put a few drops of food coloring into the water before the dough is cooked.

Idea: Place different colored balls of dough in a plastic container together with small cookie cutters, cold drink straw and plastic knife. Decorate with a big bow and a name tag made from salt dough.

Recipe 2:

Mashed potato play dough

1 cup (250 ml) cooked mashed potato
2 cups (500 ml) icing sugar
1 cup (250 ml) fine biscuit crumbs

Mix the mashed potato and icing sugar until they make a thick, creamy paste. Stir in the biscuit crumbs and knead again.

Tip: Mix some cocoa powder with the dough to make brown dough. It will also give a chocolate taste to the mashed potato dough (yummy!!)

For more fun play dough recipes, have a look here