Story centre

Basic cooked playdough

Ingredients:

1 cup cold water
1 cup salt
2 cups plain flour
4 tablespoons cream of tartar
Food colouring

Method:

Mix all ingredients together in a large saucepan.
Cook gently at a moderate temperature.
Stir constantly until thick.
Allow to cool before giving to children.
Store in an air-tight container at room temperature.

Gluten Free Playdough

Ingredients:
1 cup of rice flour
1 cup of corn flour
1 cup of salt
4 teaspoons of cream of tartar
2 cups of water http://www.slhd.nsw.gov.au/hfhc/story-centre-play.html
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
food colouring (optional)

Method:

Place all ingredients together in a saucepan.
Stir well whilst cooking over a low heat.
Continue to stir. The mixture will change from runny to a firmer dough.
Remove pan from the heat and put the dough onto a board.
Knead the dough well to get a smooth texture throughout.
When cool, place dough in an air-tight container in the refrigerator until required.

Playdough Christmas Craft

Use this playdough recipe for creations that will stand the test of time! We recommend cutting out Christmas shapes to make decorations – just make sure to poke a hole in the top so you can thread some string or ribbon through once they’re dry.

Why not use paint or glitter to decorate! These make perfect gifts for family and friends.

Permanent Playdough

Ingredients:

2 cups salt
11/2 - 2 cups water (add gradually until you are happy with the consistency)
1 cup cornflour

Method:

Mix all ingredients together in a saucepan and gently heat. Keep stirring until it looks like bread dough. Allow to cool, then start shaping. Place the shapes on a tray and leave to dry for at least two days then paint and decorate.

Playdough activities

• On the table, roll the playdough into a sausage keeping your fingers straight. Try turning your sausage into a snake, mould it into letters or numbers, or plait two or three sausages together.
  
  
• Roll a piece of playdough between the palms of both hands until it is a smooth ball.
  
  
• Flatten a large piece of playdough and make a handprint.
  Roll playdough flat using a rolling pin and cut out using biscuit or animal cutters.
  
  
• Squeeze playdough through a garlic crusher to make ‘worms’ or ‘noodles’. These can be used as decorations such as hair for a person or cheese for a pizza.
  
  
• Mould the playdough into animals, people, food, jewellery or volcanoes.
  
  
• Make pretend food such as a pizza or sausage then cut it up using a knife and fork or scissors (under supervision).
  
  
• Make a bird’s nest filled with eggs. Roll a ball of playdough between the palms of both your hands. Poke your thumb down into the centre of the ball and pinch all around to form the sides of the nest. Then make eggs by rolling the playdough into balls between your thumb and index finger.

Always pack your playdough away in an air-tight container when you’ve finished playing, so it doesn’t dry out.