Naturally Colored Homemade Play-Dough
Cost effective, taste-safe (not edible) and beautiful naturally colored homemade play-dough.
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl (One bowl per color)
- Measuring Spoons
- Glass Measuring Cup
- Baking Sheet
- Oven
- Microwave, Stove or Hot Plate
- Spatula
- Air tight container
Materials
- 1/2 cup All-purpose Flour (*cooked, see below)
- 1/4 cup Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Cream of Tartar
- 1/2 cup Boiling Water
- 1/2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Natural Coloring
- 1/4 teaspoon Spirulina Powder (Green Play-Dough)
- 1/8 teaspoon Turmeric (Yellow Play-Dough)
- 1/4 teaspoon Paprika (Orange Play-Dough)
- 1 Tablespoon Liquid from Steamed Blueberries (Purple Play-Dough) **Remove 1 tablespoon of water initially and add back in if you feel consistency needs more liquid.
- 1.5 Tablespoons Liquid from Steamed Beets (Light Pink Play-Dough) **Remove 1 tablespoon of water initially and add back in if you feel consistency needs more liquid.
Instructions
- Preheat Oven to 350°F.
- Place dry, raw flour on baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove and allow to cool. (Can be completed the day of or several days before).
- Place dry ingredients in a bowl and combine. (This is a perfect step for babe to help with).
- Boil water by placing in a pot on the stovetop or in a glass measuring cup in the microwave.
- Add boiling water, oil and coloring of choice to the dry ingredients. Mix with a spatula until a ball starts to form and it is cool enough to handle. (This step is best to be completed by the big people and for babe to observe).
- Kneed dough to distribute the color completely. (When cool enough, babe can certainly help with this step).
- Once cool, store in air tight container at room temperature for up to 6 months.
Notes
This recipe is inspired by The Montessori Toddler. The coloring element concepts are my own.
You can easily double or triple the above recipe for larger quantities. I like to do several batches at once and create a few different colors!
Food coloring is also an easy option to color the play-dough, especially for blue tones. I prefer gel coloring as I think it works better into the dough.
*Cooking the flour prior to use allows for any harmful bacteria present to be killed. It is not recommended to taste or consume raw flour.
**Use the excess liquid created from steaming the beets and blueberries as a coloring aspect. Initially, substitute this liquid for water in the initial recipe. If you feel you need more fluid for your desired consistency, add it back into the recipe.