All it really took
Was some thought and a website
Hours of fun ensued
Despite being artsy-fartsy and a graphic designer, I’ve never really been that crafty. I also don’t really share anything unless I am über excited about it. And just so you know, I’m also not one to forward e-mails just for the sake of it, so if you get one from me, you’ll know it has to be good.
Last week when it was still really cold, I had been looking for an activity to do with Ian. I had a wave of inspiration and tried hunting down a cookbook my MIL had given me eight years ago (Bryan brought it with him to CA when we first ‘met’). It’s full of recipes from her and a bunch of her neighbours and friends. One of the recipes in there is for homemade playdough. I searched forever and couldn’t find it, and was now kicking myself for mentioning it to Ian beforehand and getting his hopes up.
I resigned myself to coming up with another less inventive idea, but then remembered a vital fact: Life comes with the Internet! Not only did I find a brilliant playdough recipe, it smells awesome too!
1. Mix dry ingredients, add wet.
2. Knead until smooth (careful — it’s hot! may take a minute or two before you can really ditch the spoon and get your hands in there!) You may need to add extra flour for desired consistency. (Though I never have had to!)
3. Now grab your cutters and rollers and other playdough toys you like and have FUN!
a Brit different 
great idea! think I might try that myself for the boys…
My daughter’s preschool made this and they used it for weeks! Great fun….
play dough, i love play dough! but the real stuff makes my hands feel all ookie
I love Kool-Aid playdoh!
That sounds like a great recipe. It’s extra cool because I’m sure it smells great!
How fortunate to have the Internet & Google at our fingertips to find such info!
Hugs and blessings,
.oO we might have to do that!! ❤
That sounds like so much fun! Great haiku!
I am going to have to try this. I remember making playdough with my mom when I was little. Good memories.
Great haiku and post!
Cool! I’m going to do this with my monkeys!
That is brilliant!! I never thought about kool-aid playdough!!
Fantastic!
I might eat it.
i have a pretty good recipe, too. it takes forever to dry out, too!! i’m going to try yours, too…but, i have to go buy some kool-aid…can you believe i don’t have ANY!!??
have a great friday!
I swear we kept Playdough in business. It was always left somewhere where it would be found, but only months or years later, after it had dried and gotten incredibly hard and if you flung it at someone you could seriously harm them. At least this would smell good.
i just discovered your blog a couple weeks ago, and i’ve enjoyed reading your older posts and getting to know you and your family.
i also love your word of the week. i confess, i watch movies set in scotland just to hear the beautiful accent!
this post brought back alot of memories. my kids (now 18 and 13) used to spend hours playing with homemade playdough. it was always so satisfying to see them engaged in creative activities!
melbs1969: in a pinch, you can make playdough without koolaid by substituting food coloring – it just doesn’t smell as wonderful.
My mom used to always make homemade play dough. I am so going to make some this weekend.
Thanks for the recipe!
But I might skip the Kool-Aid and just use food coloring. My kids will eat it otherwise, for sure!
i’m new to blogging, and i meant to leave a link in my previous comment so that you could visit my site, but i don’t think i signed in properly. hopefully this time it will work.
Koolaid play doh is great, because if the kids decide to munch on it out of the blue, it’s no big worry.
Now I just discovered the recipe for gooey, slimy dough made with glue and Borax. THAT is a load of cold, slimgy fun!!!
YAY for another indoor thing to do with my boys! Sure, we already have play-dough, but what fun to make it yourself. And if it smells good – whoopee!!!
Jenni: with all that cream of tartar and half a cup of salt, it tastes a wee bit nasty! I don’t think they’ll eat it, just sniff it.
before that last comment i was just about to say “and then you eat it.” lol playdoh was the love of my life.
Yay. Something to do indoors. I remember doing this as a kid. Why haven’t I thought of it?! Thanks S for a great idea. I’m just loving you!
WAIT!! STOP THE PRESSES. IS THAT A PICTURE OF MY CASTLE UP THERE ON DAYS UNTIL SCOTLAND?
YOU’RE JUST TOYING W/ME? AREN’T YOU!!
I maybe mistaken but it looks like (through the text) the Eilean Donan Castle.
Secret Agent Mama: It’s so cool and cheap and easy too. A bit like me.
Hahaha! AFF — sadly no, it’s not Dunvegan castle, it’s Eilean Donan castle. Sooo sooo pretty, it’s my fave I think.
playdough — ugh. sorry to be a killjoy, but i HATED playdough when my kids were little. always got EVERYWHERE. *shudder*
however, i applaud your courage and creativity 😉
Very cool idea! I love Kool-Aide so I would have to resist from licking it 😉 lol Have you ever seen the molding sand that is out there? It’s not supposed to dry up like Playdough (which smells horrid) however it can be a bit of a stink to keep in place since it is—sand.
Home made playdoh is great even if the salty taste doesn’t put my one year old off