How to make playdough

Playdough is a fantastic way to encourage independence in children. There are many imaginative and fun activities created with playdough that develop the motor skills needed for a successful start to school. At ABC Dayhomes, we love making and using playdough!

Here are some of the benefits:

Hand Strengthening - pounding, squishing, and shaping playdough strengthens the small muscles in tiny hands. This helps improve dexterity and allows for precision grasping to effectively manipulate small items (e.g. buttons, zippers).

Coordination - from making details for playdough creations to using either or both hands to roll dough; making separate but coordinated actions using fingers and hands prepares children for more complex actions such as cutting with scissors, playing an instrument, or typing on a keyboard.

Sensory Experience - handling playdough can be very enjoyable for children (and adults!). It can help them relax, focus their attention, and regulate emotions.

Problem Solving - learning to make shapes out of playdough and how to make their creative vision come to life!

Recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 cup salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup water
food colouring

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients and mix well. Mix food colouring with water. Add the vegetable oil and water + food colouring mixture to a large pot. Mix well. Add the dry ingredients to the pot and continue to mix. Cook over low to medium heat until the dough starts to form and becomes dry. Once a ball forms, take off the heat. Let the dough cool first before touching. When able to handle, knead the dough for 5 minutes to soften. Adjust consistency as needed. If too hard or dry add a little oil and knead longer.