Monday, December 6, 2010

Homemade Smell Dough...Read QUICK, CHEAP, GREAT gift!

I used to teach preschool so I've got lots of art supply recipes around.  One of our favorites to make was play dough.  It's quick (5 minutes), it's easy, chances are you have everything on hand and the possibilities are endless. 

Add spices or extracts (like I did with these), add glitter, make it edible, any color you can imagine. 

The recipe is easy. 
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1 Tablespoon Cream of Tartar (I suggest Wal Mart.  It was $2.  Kroger it was $4)
1 cup water
1 Tablespoon oil

Any additives you would like.

Mix it in a pot.  Turn the stove on medium.  Stir constantly!  It will start to pull away from the sides, get a few lumps.  Turn into dough.  You'll see.  Pull it out.  Put it in a bowl with a little flour.  Knead for a minute.  There you go. 

I had some little containers - I need to order more -
Each batch of dough made 4 small containers. 

I made: Gingerbread (adding cinnamon, cloves, ginger)
Peppermint (adding peppermint extract)
Cherry (adding cherry extract and red food coloring)

The grocery store has lots of extracts you can add.  Banana, raspberry, lime, rum (although you probably shouldn't make rum scented play dough....).  You can also add cocoa powder for chocolate scented.  Or pumpkin pie spice.  Or make apple pie dough with cinnamon, cloves and all spice. 

Sorry for the crappy pictures (and lack there of...) this goes together super quick.  I'm off to the store to pick up some sticker paper so I'll take a picture of the package all wrapped up soon!

Linking up!

15 comments:

  1. I have been wanting an easy dough recipe. Thanks for sharing!

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  2. I love this! So fun and playful for kiddos--mine will love this!

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  3. Thanks for sharing this receipe, following you now feel free to stop by my blog
    http://wellspringwomennetworking.blogspot.com/

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  4. I used to make this for my kids but used koolaid (well, the cheap non namebrand powder). Worked great but I love the idea of putting in spices and extracts!

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  5. Wow! what an awesome idea! I love the gingerbread dough. And now I'm thinking about making rum play dough!! lol

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  6. Hi there! What a great project I’d love for your to link up to my Tot Tuesdays linky party. Its every Tuesday and a chance to link up crafts, activities, tips, recipes and educational resources for all things TODDLER related. I hope you’ll stop by. Have a great day!

    www.mydeliciousambiguity.com

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  7. What a great idea! I just started a link party on Wednesdays and would love for you to share this!
    wakinglucia.blogspot.com
    Ciao,
    Lucia

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  8. Saw you on mydeliciousambiguity's link up! That is the exact recipe we will use tomorrow to make play dough christmas trees. enjoy!
    Blessings,
    Aria
    http://growing3godlygirlz.blogspot.com

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  9. Love the spice idea and rum scented playdough might not be bad for those tedious play-dates ;)

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  10. Oh I love this! I'm always looking for good activities for my kiddos to do (and keep their hands busy while I'm doing something that I don't want messed up. lol). Thanks for posting!

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  11. Oh and another tip! Dollar Tree often has HUGE bottles of extracts for a buck! I picked up Orange just the other day and I know that they also had vanilla, almond, and I think lemon. :)

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  12. I love all the different scent ideas you have come up with! Thanks for linking up this post to Theme Party Thursday!
    -Jami

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  13. Will share this blog with my sister who has two young kids. Very good ideas and so informative.
    Am from MBC, and my blog is
    www.beautyandthegreen.blogspot.com

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  14. My 2yo son made this for his niece for Christmas. OK, I may have helped a little. But seriously, it was SO easy and the addition of gingerbread and peppermint made it SO fun!

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