Play Dough Recipe - Traditional

This is the most basic play dough recipe for a traditional play dough. It can last up to two months when kept in an air-tight container and it doesn't need refrigeration which is useful.

Once you've made a batch of play dough why not let loose your creativity with Creative Playdough Ideas for Kids.

Recipe Ingredients

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1 cup warm water
2 teaspoons of cream of tartar
1 tablespoon cooking oil
Food colouring

Instructions

Mix all of the ingredients in a saucepan and cook it over a medium heat for a few minutes whilst stirring all the time. It takes a few minutes for the mixture to change from goop into proper dough so at this stage it can be tempting to add more flour but resist the temptation and give it another minute or so.

Once the dough is formed allow it to cool for a few minutes before kneading it into a smooth consistency.

Colouring Tips

If you are making a large batch of dough for all one colour then mix in your food colouring at the cooking stage. This will ensure the colour is evenly distributed. However if you want to divide the batch into several colours then wait until the kneading stage. Divide the dough into the required number of portions and add your colouring to each portion and then knead. Obviously it will take quite a bit of effort to work the colours evenly through the dough when doing it this way.