Despatches from a mother who started late (and is running to catch up)

Making play dough: a sticky business

Did you know that play dough is made with salt? Not just a pinch. Cups of the stuff. After the kids used up all the official stuff (pictured) in their toy sausage-maker last week, we brought out the scales and mixing bowl.

Making stomach crawl?

Beanie and her pal Morgenstern poured in flour, water and oil. Plus, of course, salt. Lots of salt. Cup after cup of white crystals. We skipped the boric acid and silicone.

After we added the pink colouring (a job for the grown-ups) the dough looked like post-partum stomach flab. Or the remains of gastric band surgery.

Innards on kitchen table?

We kept adding flour. But the dough stuck to our hands like something excreted from alien space ships. Days later it remains embedded in my cuticles.

Our efforts did not smell like shop-bought Play Doh. A disappointment.

We have not yet replaced our salt supplies. Unsalted food may be doing wonders for our sodium levels, but it remains an acquired taste.

Not for consumption

Beanie was frustrated at not being allowed to eat the dough. But with so much salt, it was inedible. Husband did a double-take when he saw innards on the kitchen table.

The children did not seem to mind.

Posted 26 April 2010 17:23

Daughters Domestic chaos Food Fun Mistakes

Comments

Vicky said:

I tried making it once and it was a disaster. I did add Vanilla Essence though which at least made it smell nice :)

Posted 26 April 2010 20:36

Helen said:

We toyed with adding vanilla essence, but decided we were already in out of our depth.

ps - great to hear from you again!

Posted 26 April 2010 22:14

Suzie said:

Funny! try my recipe it works every time and it is wonderfully blandy and sticks together in 1 blob.

1 cup plain flour

1/2 cup table salt

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 cup boiling water with added food colouring and/or flavouring

Knead all together in a huge mixing bowl and add extra plain flour until not sticky. Keep kneading until soft and pliable. Once cooled, keep wrapped tightly in clingfilm somewhere cool or the fridge.

A way to get children to use their sense of smell and have a bit of fun at the same time is by mixing up the colours and scents, I like to use strawberry essence with blue colouring and mint essence with red colouring. Very funny seeing if they can work it out!

Suzie