Kool-Aid PlayDough
(another sensory project for children)
1 cup flour
1 cup water
1/2 cup salt
3 teaspoons Cream of Tartar
1 package Kool-Aid Mix (any flavor of unsweetened)
1 tablespoon cooking oil
Mix dry ingredients together in a large saucepan. Slowly add water mixed with oil and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens to dough. Turn out onto a heatproof bread board or counter top and knead until cool enough for children to handle. Dough will be the color of the Kool-Aid mix and will smell like the Kool-Aid mix. (Can be stored in a tightly covered container for up to six months)
Tasty Paint
1 can sweetened condensed milk
Several drops of food coloring
Give the children paintbrushes and paper or just let them use their fingers. The paint will be a pastel color and when it dries, it will be kind of glossy.
Fruit Loop Necklaces
(a simple tool for reinforcing "patterning")
Give the children a piece of elastic cording approximately 18-inches long and a bowl of dry fruit loops. Help them sort the fruit loops into colors and decide on a pattern to string on the elastic cording (example: red, yellow, red, green, red, yellow, red, green, etc.)
Edible Playdough!
These edible recipes for play dough are perfect for pre-school children that love to eat their art supplies and for us older children to join them and play and eat, too. Let the children help mix the dough because oh how they love to get their hands into mushy stuff (and this is a whole lot better than mud and dirt).
A great thing about a play dough activity is that it allows children to experience different textures and use four out of their five senses. Encourage creativity by putting out cookie cutters, little bowls, lids from jars, measuring spoons... and add to their fun by giving them Cheerios, Rice Krispies, Corn Flakes, colored cake decorating sprinkles/dots, chocolate chips, ice cream cones and other such items. To help them in their play-acting, give them Graham Cracker teddy bears and animal crackers.
I suggest covering a play area surface with waxed paper and let the children have a good time both creating and eating but be sure to give them some ideas and examples to get them started! Enjoy these fun projects with your children by letting your imagination be your guide be an "un-grownup", it's great fun!
KOOL-AID PLAY DOUGH
This play dough is colorful and has a wonderful fragrance too. The kids just love it!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup salt
2-1/2 cups flour
2 packages Kool-Aid
3 tablespoons oil
2 cups boiling water
Directions: Mix dry ingredients. Add oil. Add water and knead.
Storage: Store in plastic bags in the refrigerator.
JELL-O PLAY DOUGH
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1 cup water
1 tablespoon oil
2 teaspoons Cream of Tartar
1 (3-1/2-oz.) package "unsweetened" Jell-O
Directions: Mix all ingredients together and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until consistency of mashed potatoes. Let cool and knead with floured hands until dry.
Storage: This recipe needs to cool completely "before" storing it in an airtight container! Note: The items made from this play dough recipe can be painted when they are dry.
OATMEAL DOUGH
Ingredients:
1 part flour
2 parts oatmeal
1 part water
Directions: Mix ingredients together and form into shapes. Note: The items made from this play dough recipe can be painted when they are dry.
CREAM CHEESE PLAY DOUGH
Ingredients:
8 oz. package of cream cheese
1/2 cup non-fat dry milk
1 tablespoon honey
Crackers or bread slices
Directions: Combine cream cheese, milk and honey in a bowl and mix until well blended. Mold sculptures on wax paper.
Storage: Unused portions MUST BE STORED in an airtight container and kept refrigerated!! Because cream cheese is perishable, use the expiration date on the cream cheese package as your guide for how long you can keep this play dough. Note: The shapes can then be placed on crackers or bread slices, decorated with edibles (celery or carrot slivers, raisins, dried fruit pieces, nuts, or seeds for a healthy snack! then EAT!
CAUTION: Some children are allergic to peanut butter!!!!!
PEANUT BUTTER/GRAHAM CRACKER PLAY DOUGH
(I've listed this recipe so you can help your child experience their senses)
Ingredients:
Equal amounts of Peanut Butter and Marshmallow Creme Graham Crackers
Directions:
1) Allow children to crumble up Graham Crackers into crumbs, then set these aside. Let them have just a little touch of the Marshmallow Creme and a little touch of peanut butter to feel the different textures and to lick off their fingers. (washing hands before project start is a good idea...)
2) Mix the peanut butter and Marshmallow Creme together and have the children notice the change in texture.
3) Cover surface area with wax paper or use a breadboard, let children make into shapes. 4) Roll shapes in Graham Cracker crumbs, then EAT!!!
Storage: When not using, MUST be stored in an airtight container.
PEANUT BUTTER PLAY DOUGH
Ingredients:
One 18-oz jar creamy peanut butter
6 tablespoons honey
3/4 cup non-fat dry milk
Directions: Mix ingredients together, using varying amounts of dry milk for desired consistencies. Knead it with fingers, forming into desired shapes, adding other foods like M&M's or peanuts for eyes, mouths, etc. Great fun! (Thanks to Lisa M.H.))
Storage: When not using, MUST be stored in an airtight container.
GIRL SCOUNT PEANUT BUTTER PLAY DOUGH
Ingredients:
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
2 cups powdered sugar
Directions: Mix all ingredients in a bowl, using your hands. Dough should feel soft and pliable. Form shapes and be creative!! Storage: When not using, MUST be stored in an airtight container.
SMOOTH PEANUT BUTTER PLAY DOUGH
Ingredients:
2 cups smooth peanut butter
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups dried milk
2/3 cups honey
Directions: Mix all ingredients until thoroughly combined. Storage: When not using, MUST be stored in an airtight container.
FROSTING PLAY DOUGH
Ingredients:
1 can frosting (any flavor)
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
Directions: Mix together until dough reaches desired consistency
Storage: When not using, MUST be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated. Next time you want to use it, let it come to room temperature for pliable dough.
And now a couple of chocolate recipes that will require adult supervision for the smaller children -- otherwise they may have some tummy aches from over-eating their art supplies. The following two yummy recipes are great because while the kids are having fun, Mommy is making things to use for cake decorations. These doughs are easy to make worms, letters, flowers, shapes or whatever the children or Mommy can create in their imaginations.
CHOCOLATE PLAY DOUGH
Ingredients:
8 ounces semisweet chocolate
1/4 cup plus one tablespoon light corn syrup
Directions: Melt the chocolate in a metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water (a double boiler). Stir the chocolate with a spoon until smooth, then stir in the corn syrup. The chocolate will stiffen almost immediately but stir until completely combined. Transfer the chocolate to a sturdy plastic bag and refrigerate until firm; the consistency will be that of Play Dough. When firm, the dough can be worked by kneading. If it is too hard, cut off small pieces and knead until pliable. If the dough sticks to the counter when rolling, lightly spray counter or breadboard with vegetable spray or lightly grease with a vegetable oil.
1) Hand shape the dough into a rope or braid, making two or three long ropes and twist or braid them together -- can be used as the outside edge on top of the cake or around the base.
2) Make ribbons to cover the cake. To do this, pat your dough into a disk shape and roll dough out to desired thickness using a rolling pin or else use a manual pasta machine.
3) Flowers, too! Compliments of www.joyofbaking.com
CHOCOLATE CLAY
Ingredients:
10 ounces chocolate, almond bard or candy discs
1/3 cup corn syrup
Directions: Slowly melt candy and stir until smooth. Add syrup and blend thoroughly. Pour onto waxed paper and spread with fingers until about 1/2 inch thick. Cover loosely with waxed paper and allow it to stiffen (couple of hours). Then play and eat. To make flower petals, roll out little balls and flatten them, then pinch the petals together and these make wonderful "I Love You" gifts, even if it isn't Valentine's Day.
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