Just like real playdough, DIY playdough can be multipurpose, useful, and reusable; unlike store-bought ones, though, the DIY version can even be edible. The DIY version is also a much safer option for kids, a less troublesome one for the parents, and something any grown-up can make at home (giving you a good excuse to stay home). The effort to make DIY playdough is well worth it and can be much more fun and enjoyable than toy playdough bought at a store. DIY playdough can be enjoyed by anyone of any age, especially if it’s edible.
The Purpose of Playdough
Why do kids love playdough? While one could say children love a form of creative expression that’s been around since the Neolithic ages, the answer is much more multifaceted. Playdough is a versatile toy for art and stimulation. It’s fun to squish and mold like kinetic sand without being dirty or grainy. It’s smooth and malleable like slime or putty but more put together. It works the same way as clay: not as durable, but leave either one out to dry or in the oven to bake, and they become hard like rocks.
Playdough was first made by Noah McVicker in the 1930s out of flour, salt, water, and other ingredients. While originally used as a wallpaper cleaner, it became a popular school item for kids starting in 1955. It escalated in popularity from there since kids and teachers had an easier time molding it compared to the other type of modeling clay used to teach and develop fine motor skills. The toy’s design later evolved to be softer and multicolored.
Types of DIY Playdough
There are two major types of DIY playdough: edible and non-edible. Parents who don’t have a lot of time can buy fondant from the store; while it’s not DIY, it is the most convenient form of playdough. Aside from fondant, the perfect edible kind of DIY playdough would easily be things like edible sugar cookie dough and mochi. If you use mochi, though, remember to use the solid dough that’s just kneaded and then dusted with powder, not the rice cake dough that’s wet or has more batter than dough. A lesser-known DIY variation would be a dough that’s a solid paste made from mashed-up food.
The YouTube channel Good Mythical Morning has made several videos revolving around edible versions of playdough and given descriptions of the colorful ones they’ve made. For example, they’ve use mashed peas, blueberries, and carrots to make different varieties of colorful dough. One popular video of their edible DIY playdough experiments is called “Making Real Food w/ Play-Doh Toys.“
Non-edible DIY playdough can be variations of homemade clay, putty, or a thicker type of slime. Non-edible playdough can be used for the same things that playdough was originally made for, such as helping to clean walls. Some bread doughs become squishy and malleable depending on the bread recipe. These doughs aren’t considered edible because they should only be eaten after baking, well after the children are done molding or playing with it. These recipes for these breads are fun to bake with kids and easy for adults with time on their hands to do.
How to Make DIY Playdough
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To make multiple colorful pieces of edible DIY playdough, cut the dough into equal pieces before kneading each one with a drop of food dye. If using sugar cookie dough, use a cup of flour, 1 spoon of sugar (or less if you prefer), a pinch of baking powder, 1/4th of a stick of softened butter, and 2 spoons of milk. You can also put a bit of vanilla extract in, but that’s mostly for the smell and flavor. Mix it all in a bowl; once it has all solidified and combined, you can start playing with it.
Making playdough from mochi is a bit messier because cornstarch has to be used to dust the dough and the surfaces it touches to prevent it from sticking and the dough itself has to be cooked. Get a microwaveable bowl and combine glutinous rice flour, sugar, and milk, and stir until reaching a smooth consistency that’s like yogurt; then microwave it for three minutes. Take the dough out and stir it, and then put it back in for another minute. Now, cover the countertop and your hands with cornstarch and make whatever you want with the squishy dough.
Recipes for non-edible DIY playdough also require the dough to be cooked first. Get a pot or pan and combine 1 cup of flour with a cup of water, just a little bit of cream of tartar, and a lot of salt to prevent it from being too sticky. Cook it all on low heat and just keep stirring until the consistency is smooth and it starts to solidify. Then just dump it out of the pan onto some wax paper and let it cool before playing with it.
To make putty, put cornstarch and glue into a bowl, stir it until it’s mixed and solid, and then knead with your hands, adding the food coloring in while mixing. Add a bit more cornstarch than glue if you prefer; just be sure to mix it all well. Dish soap works, too, if you don’t want to use too much glue. Another easy DIY playdough recipe is for salt dough, which involves combining two cups of flour with a cup of salt and a cup of warm water. Just keep kneading until it’s all combined and feels like dough. While this dough is edible, it’s very salty and not recommended to eat as it may cause salt poisoning if ingested.
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