Playdough recipe

When children play with playdough there are huge opportunities for growth and development.

As they are shaping, pinching and flattening with their hands they are building their fine motor skills.

As they share, collaborate or converse with others (adult or child) it fosters children's social, emotional and language development.

There are open-ended opportunities for creativity and imagination to flourish. Playdough can be anything!

And the sensory input from pounding and squeezing the dough can also be therapeutic. Just like a stress ball, playdough can be a great stress reliever for the whole whānau!

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Here’s an easy playdough recipe for you to make at home:

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup salt
• 4 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 4 tablespoons oil
• 1.75 cups boiling water
• 1 teaspoon food colouring

Method

1. Mix salt and cream of tartar
2. Mix through oil and colouring
3. Add boiling water and mix through
4. Mix through flour. If the mixture is a bit sticky add a little more flour.

And let the fun begin!

-You can use any oil. Vegetable oil is often the most affordable but coconut oil makes the playdough smell lovely and is also gentle on sensitive skin.

-Adding scents to playdough is so easy and a great way to engage the olfactory system. Try lemon zest, cinnamon or lavender oil.

-Instead of using food colouring you can explore with natural dyes such as beetroot juice, blueberry juice, turmeric powder, or a little blended spinach.

-Find bits and pieces around your home to add to the fun - toothpicks, cupcake cases, bottle tops, plastic animals, toy cars etc.

-Go foraging and experiment with grass, flowers, shells or twigs. Or try tearing up petals to make eco-friendly flower confetti!

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