Playdough!

A whimsical post for the Monday of a very serious week. If you’re feeling a little anxious, here’s a project to keep your hands busy while you patiently await the returns…

I am not a crafty or DIY person by nature, but homemade playdough always seemed attainable. The girls and I would have fun making the dough (I even once searched the dairy section for “cream of tartar”) and then creating all kinds of shapes together. Except my bucolic visions of us in the kitchen never came to fruition. Every recipe ended with dough that was too gooey, flakey, or the color ran onto our hands. It was unpleasant and disappointing. I looked at other “cool moms” in a bewildering way. How were they mastering this seemingly elusive task? In the end, I raised the white flag, continued buying the regular stuff and moved on to something else.

But then I volunteered at a preschool last winter and noticed a new-to-me playdough recipe hanging on the wall. Did I dare try once again? Yes, I decided to give it a go. This time, however, I warned my 4 year old that it may not work and that I had the “good stuff” as a back-up. But then the unexpected happened – we made wonderful playdough! Not only did we find success, we loved it! Plus, I’m still using a batch that I made pre-Covid (remember that time?) because it apparently lasts a while if properly stored. Here is the recipe. Save this in your back pocket for an unexpected snow day. Enjoy!

– Rachel

PS Cream of Tartar lives in the spice aisle.

1 cup flour

1/4 cup salt

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp cream of tartar

3/4 cup boiling water (add desired food color to boiling water)

Let cool and set before use