Kool-Aid Play Dough
Posted by TulipGirl | Under Homeschooling, Odds and Ends Saturday May 8, 2004Kool-Aid® is a valued American commodity in our household for the aromatic and colorful properties it adds to home made play dough. The packaged dough gives me headaches, and so when I want to be a good-n-messy mama, I use this recipe:
Kool-Aid® Play Dough
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 packaged unsweetened Kool-Aid®
1/4 cup salt
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
1 cup water
Mix flour, salt, cream of tartar and Kool-Aid® in a pot. Add oil and water. Stir over medium heat until texture changes and forms a ball in the pot, about 3-5 minutes. Let cool to touch. Kneed until smooth. Store in a platic bag in the fridge.
Notes: I usually double the recipe or make a bunch of batches at once. This can be made without the cream of tartar (which is a preserving agent.) You can also use glycerin or vinegar as a preserving agent. This has been a fun party favor with our Ukrainian kid-friends.
Cute about the kid-friends. I imagine the little Ukrainian children are very interested in your family.
if i use glycerin or vinegar – what amount? same 2 tbs? do you have to keep it in the fridge? etc…
I can’t find my “official” recipes that recommend glycerin/vinegar.
For this recipe, I’d probably use a teaspoon of glycerin and add it to the oil. I’d recommend two tablespoons of vinegar, in place of the same amount of water.
These are all to prevent mold or it from going bad, but are optional. Whether or not I use a preservative, I’ve never noticed any dough getting yucky. I do store it in the fridge, but I bet you could get away with just storing it in a plastic container or ziplock.
IMO, it’s easier to clean than the store-bought variety. Do you think you might make it with your playgroup? Honestly, I much prefer the koolaid for coloring than anything else, but if your friends wanted something all natural, I’ve also used ginger/cinnamon/allspice to make a “gingerbread” playdough.
Made some this afternoon – yeah – I opted to avoid the koolaid issue myself *grin* and used some tangerine essential oil to scent and tint. Poor T is so sick she could care less right now – but I enjoyed it! Thinking of selling some at the farmer’s mkt! :)
btw – talked to R this afternoon and she used to make it for her class and did a chocolate batch when they were reading willy wonka. just used coco powder… she had a harder time controlling the tasting though.
Ooooh! Farmer’s Market idea sounds *great*. Especially with the essential oils–marketing it as all-natural. *grin* And I’ll have to try the chocolate dough, too.
Praying for T. *sigh* Hope she feels better soon.
I’M FEELING ALL CRAFTY TODAY
Making a wooden sword should have just about filled my crafty quota for the year, but instead, while The Girl has been napping, The Boy and I made some Kool-Aid Play-Dough from TulipGirl’s recipe. He had a great time pouring…