Playdough has been a favorite childhood activity for generations, fostering creativity, imagination, and sensory development. While you can buy store-bought playdough, there's something special about crafting your own homemade version. Here at Little Wonders this week, our Wednesday Ones Classes enjoyed some fresh green playdough with a hint of lime zest made by Teacher Suzanne.
In this blog post, we'll explore the benefits of homemade playdough, highlighting some of its advantages.
Safety First: Non-Toxic Ingredients One of the significant advantages of making playdough at home is the ability to control the ingredients. Homemade playdough recipes often use simple, non-toxic household items, ensuring that your little ones are safe from harmful chemicals. Ingredients like flour, salt, water, and food coloring make for a safe and enjoyable sensory experience for even the youngest children.
Sensory Development: Engaging Multiple Senses Homemade playdough provides an excellent sensory experience for young children. The tactile sensation of squishing and molding the dough helps develop fine motor skills and enhances sensory perception. The variety of colors and textures available through homemade playdough engages multiple senses, promoting cognitive development in a fun and interactive way.
Creativity Unleashed: Endless Possibilities Creating playdough at home opens up a world of possibilities for customization. Kids can experiment with different colors, scents, and even add glitter for an extra touch of magic. This not only sparks creativity but also encourages children to explore their artistic instincts, promoting self-expression and imaginative play.
Affordable and Sustainable: Cost-Effective Fun Homemade playdough is not only safe and fun but also budget-friendly. Most of the ingredients are readily available in your kitchen, making it a cost-effective alternative to store-bought options. Additionally, making playdough at home reduces packaging waste, making it an environmentally conscious choice.
Educational Benefits: Learning Through Play Playdough offers numerous educational benefits for young children. From learning basic shapes and colors to developing early math and language skills, homemade playdough turns playtime into a valuable learning experience. Parents can incorporate educational themes into playdough activities, turning them into exciting lessons for their little ones.
Bonding Time: Quality Family Moments Making playdough at home can be a delightful family activity. Involving kids in the process of creating their playdough not only enhances their understanding of the materials but also creates lasting memories. Family time spent crafting playdough together strengthens bonds and provides a shared sense of accomplishment.
And now for Teacher Suzanne’s recipe. This makes a double batch.
4 Cups flour
2 Cups salt
4 Tablespoons safflower or canola oil 2 Tablespoons cream of tartar
4 Cups of water with food coloring
Directions:
1. Combine dry ingredients in small pot.
2. Add all wet ingredients and stir over low heat.
3. Mixture will thicken and become harder to stir.
4. Continue stirring until mixture blends and pulls away from sides of pot.
5. Turn out onto cutting board and knead. 6. Place in ziploc bag.