Thursday, November 17, 2011

Allergy-Friendly Play Dough (2 ways)

I came across a really fun child-friendly activity/gift idea in the latest issue of Living Free magazine (pg. 10): making your own allergy-friendly play dough! 
I’ve been thinking about the Holidays here and all the gift giving that’s just around the corner.  Between my husband and I we have a pretty big family and we can’t possibly buy everyone a gift.  We find pleasure in simple 1-item gift exchanges, happiness in each other’s company, good food, music, and laughter.  But we do have little children in our immediate and extended family.  When I read this article in Living Free I thought, now there is a super cute idea for a child.  You could make the dough yourself, or provide the ingredients in a little jar with instructions and they could make it at their leisure.  I wanted to share the two recipes with you today.  

#1: Play Clay
Makes about 2 pounds
If not used immediately, store in an airtight container 
or plastic bag in the refrigerator.
Ingredients
1 cup potato starch or cornstarch
2 cups baking soda
1 1/4 cups cold water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, or oil of choice 
2-3 drops food color (optional) – I only use this natural plant-based food coloring
How To
1.  Mix together potato starch and baking soda and pour into sauce pan.
2.  Mix water and oil in small bowl.  Add food coloring, if using.
3.  Heat saucepan and pour in water and oil, stirring constantly about 3 minutes or until clay holds together in a ball. (Small lumps will appear and then clay will hold together.)
4.  Turn off heat.  Spoon clay onto parchment paper and let cool slightly.


#2: Salt Dough
Makes about 1 pound 
If not used immediately, store in an airtight 
container or plastic bag in the refrigerator. 

Ingredients
1 cup table salt
1 cup rice flour
1/2 cup water, more as needed
2 drops food coloring (see above)
1 teaspoon vegetable oil, if needed

How To
1.  Mix together salt and flour in a saucepan.  Pour in water and add food coloring, if using.
2.  Cook over medium meat until dough forms into a ball.  If dough is too dry to hold together, add more water 1 Tbsp at a time.
3.  Spoon dough onto parchment paper and let cool slightly 
4.  Knead until smooth and shape into a ball.  If dough is too hard, knead in 1 teaspoon oil until well distributed.
Picture from Hippo Flambe
Shard on: Thriving on Thursday, 
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Posted by Amber at

Labels: allergy-friendly, how to, kids.

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