It is actually easy to make playdough by yourself. There are tons of recipes found on the internet and most of them are easy to try. Unfortunately, not all recipes can produce a texture that is close to the one made by a factory. Besides, most of them dry after using it for some time.
The benefit of inviting toddlers to make playdough is to train their fine motor skills to become stronger for learning to hold a pencil and to write.
Read also: Toys that Stimulate Children’s Motor
It is worth noting that if you choose a playdough recipe that is too simple, such as the one that consists of only flour, salt, water, and food coloring, the playdough can only last for a few days before it dries up and cannot be used anymore. Aside from that, the smell is also not good.
If you want to make playdough, you can consider the following recipe. The good thing about the following recipe is that it does not get moldy and does not dry out easily, especially when playing in an air-conditioned room. In addition, it does not get stale easily. Check out the recipe and how to make it below.
Best Recipes for Playdough Without Cream of Tartar (Durable and Don’t Dry Quickly)
Ingredients:
- 100 grams of flour
- 50 grams of fine salt
- 5-6 tablespoons of cornstarch/starch as needed. The more cornstarch, the denser the playdough will be.
- 2-3 tablespoons of cooking oil
- 2 teaspoons of cooking vinegar
- Enough water
- Food coloring
- Optional: Essential oil with your favorite flavor to distinguish vinegar smell (I use Majestic Pure Grapefruit which smells fresh).
Steps to Make Playdough Without Cream of Tartar
Mix flour, salt, vinegar and oil. Then, add water little by little until the dough is smooth. If it is too soft, add cornstarch. Separate into several parts and give coloring according to your taste.
Even until this stage, the dough will last quite a few months as long as it is placed in an airtight container. However, if you want to make it last longer, you can also cook it.
Make sure to heat the dough in the pan while continuously tossing and turning it so that the heat is evenly distributed.
In the end, the playdough can be stored in the refrigerator and you can just add water and reheat if it hardens. While it is a bit of a hassle, it does not end up wasting a lot of flour because this playdough can be used many times. Besides, it is safe to eat because it is made from ingredients for foods.
How to Store Homemade Playdough
In order to make the texture of the playdough remain soft, elastic, not dry and not moldy, it is better for you to store it in an airtight container. You are advised to store the plasticine in the refrigerator. In case it dries, add a little water to make it soft again.
Before putting the homemade playdough in the container, you can wrap it in plastic clingwrap. By doing so, it can last longer and can be played over and over again, even if you don’t put it in the fridge. The texture of this handmade playdough recipe is close to the one made by the factory. It is soft, shiny, not sticky on your hands and elastic.
