Activity
Homemade Playdough
Squish and knead your way to homemade play dough with your child and help her learn more about making natural dyes! It’s easier than you think, and this play dough beats that store bought stuff any day!
Grade
Subject
Thank you for your input.
What You Need:
- 1 red beet (½ cup blueberries or ½ cup onion skins also create wonderful natural dyes)
- 1 cup water
- Strainer
- 1 cup flour
- ½ cup salt
- 1 tablespoon cream of tartar
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Small saucepan
- Medium saucepan
- Rubber spatula
What You Do:
- Help your child get started by simmering 1 cup water over medium heat. Invite your child to help trim and dice a small red beet and add to the hot water. Any fruit or vegetable of a dark color creates a vibrant natural dye. Your child can experiment with blueberries, and even onion skins, to create several colors of play dough!
- Now your child can set the kitchen timer for 20 minutes and watch as the clear water turns a deep red.
- Strain the red water over a medium saucepan, collecting all that wonderful red water! Your child can hold the strainer while an adult pours the hot liquid.
- Invite your child to measure and pour the flour, salt, cream of tartar, and oil in the saucepan along with the red water. He can use a rubber spatula to mix the ingredients together. The mixture will resemble thick pudding.
- Now turn the heat to medium under the saucepan and hold the warm pan while your child stirs and stirs. Within a few minutes, the mixture will begin to thicken and resemble play dough!
- Turn out the hot play dough onto a lightly floured surface and allow to cool for 1 minute. Now invite your child to kneed the play dough and then enjoy squishing and squeezing his colorful creation!
Related learning resources
Homemade Stamps
Activity
Homemade Stamps
Your child will make her mark on the world with unique homemade ink stamps.
1st grade
Arts & crafts
Activity
Homemade Christmas Crackers
Activity
Homemade Christmas Crackers
Homemade Christmas crackers add some bang to your holiday celebration. Make a set of homemade Christmas crackers with your child this holiday season.
1st grade
Arts & crafts
Activity
Homemade Cookie Cutters
Activity
Homemade Cookie Cutters
Everyone loves homemade cookies, but have you ever thought about making the cookie cutters at home? Here's some instructions for making homemade cookie cutters.
1st grade
Arts & crafts
Activity
Homemade Ink
Activity
Homemade Ink
Instead of heading to the craft store, take a step back in time and restock your art supply with this easy recipe for homemade ink.
1st grade
Arts & crafts
Activity
Homemade Pillow
Activity
Homemade Pillow
Let your child be a designer for the day with this first grade arts and crafts activity: make a felt pillow decorated with colorful felt cut-outs.
1st grade
Arts & crafts
Activity
Homemade Valentine's Gift
Activity
Homemade Valentine's Gift
...This project is the perfect thoughtful—and homemade–gift for that very special person; it holds a sweet, personal message for the recipient to discover....
1st grade
Reading & Writing
Activity
Homemade Thank You Card
Worksheet
Homemade Thank You Card
...Make envelopes to go with your homemade cards by clicking here.
thank you card, birthday, holiday, coloring, writing, paper project...
1st grade
Arts & crafts
Worksheet
Homemade Magic Wand
Activity
Homemade Magic Wand
Got a whistful wisher on your hands? Help her make her very own magic wand! The result is a creative craft that's great for pretend play.
1st grade
Arts & crafts
Activity
Homemade Halloween Decorations
Activity
Homemade Halloween Decorations
Here's a salt dough recipe that can be used to make ghostly character sticks for fun Halloween decor.
kindergarten
Arts & crafts
Activity
Hanukkah Greetings: Make a Menorah Card
Worksheet
Hanukkah Greetings: Make a Menorah Card
Pass on some Hanukkah greetings with this homemade card your child can make.
1st grade
Arts & crafts
Worksheet
How to Make a Homemade Book
Activity
How to Make a Homemade Book
Encourage your writer to uncover their imagination and storytelling skills by authoring their very own book.
1st grade
Reading & Writing
Activity
Cupcake Picks: Thanksgiving
Worksheet
Cupcake Picks: Thanksgiving
Give your dessert table extra oomph with homemade cupcake picks that spell out Happy Thanksgiving.
1st grade
Arts & crafts
Worksheet
See this activity in a set:
10 Activities Kids Can't Resist