Your child’s imagination is next to limitless, so there’s nothing quite like watching your kiddo creating the amazing wonders they see in their head. But we know that name-brand playthings can be cost-prohibitive to helping your kiddo create, so we’ve created a Play Dough Recipe that will bring you in on the fun!

Note: Flour is a raw ingredient. Always wash your hands after handling raw flour, and don’t put the play dough in your mouth.

Play Dough Recipe

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup salt
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 2 tablespoons cream of tartar
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil (may substitute vegetable oil)
• Food Grade Gel/Dye (Optional)

1. To make your playdough, mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
2. Then, add your dye, oil and water into the mix.
3. Combine all ingredients together. Use your hands to knead it all together.
4. No need for extra flour, you’re all set to play away!!

Play Dough Fun Facts

If you’re yearning for some fun facts to mix in with this play dough recipe, look no further! We’ve got the scoop on this nostalgic plaything!

• Play dough wasn’t originally created to be a toy. Its original use was as a wallpaper cleaner to rid walls of soot from fireplaces and coal heated homes. With the rise in popularity of vinyl wallpaper and gas-powered furnaces came the demise of this dough as a cleaning product, but it was soon reborn when a family member took the dough into her preschool class to create Christmas ornaments… And the rest is history!
• Did you know that the distinctive scent of Play Doh is actually trademarked? When the branded dough hit its 50th Anniversary a perfume was actually created that you can still purchase today!!
• The first color sold was white. More colors were added over the years with today’s color total clocking in at more than 50 produced! Even though the selection is much wider now, the top-selling colors (as determined by Hasboro, the maker of Play Doh) are Rose Red, Garden Green, Blue Lagoon, and Robin’s Egg Blue.

If you want more simple craft time ideas be sure to check out our Moon Sand recipe (only 2 ingredients!!) and other our crafty inspiration! But in case you’re curious about where that flour you use comes from, be sure to meet our farmers like Kyler Millershaski, a young wheat farmer from southwest Kansas.