Play-doh and Play-doh Mats

Every year, usually the night before school starts, I cook up a batch of my favorite play-doh recipe.  I LOVE this play-doh.  It is super soft, it doesn't harden if left out over night and it lasts forever.  The play-doh center seems to always be a favorite one during the school year.  Throughout the year, I vary the task at this center.  Sometimes I let them use cookie cutters,  or play-dough tools, other times I give them play-doh work mats.  The work mats are large alphabet number, letters or words.  Their task is to create the number, letters or words.  The large alphabets are one of their favorites.  You can get a copy by clicking the picture below. Do you have a play-doh center?

Play-Doh Recipe

INGREDIENTS~

1 cup flour

1/2 cup salt

2 tsp. cream of tarter

1 cup water

1 tsp. vegetable oil

food coloring

DIRECTIONS~

1.  Mix the dry ingredients in a large pot

2.  Mix water, a few drops of food coloring and oil together in a bowl, then add to dry ingrediants.

3.  Cook the mixture on low/medium for 3-5 minutes stirring constantly.

4.  The dough will start to pull away from the sides of the pot and form a ball.  Take it out of the pot when it begins to have a VERY faint brown skin.

5.  Kneed the dough until it becomes soft and smooth.  You can add more food coloring at this time if need.  You may want to wear gloves to prevent staining your hands. 

6.  when the dough is cool, store in a Ziplock bag or other air-tight container.  I like to use frosting containers.