Make Playdough

Making playdough is a great indoor activity to do with your kids. There are several different ways to make it, and most of them are pretty simple.

Here are three recipes found at
http://www.kiddinaround.com/pages/3-Easy-Recipes-for-Making-Homemade-Play-Dough.html

Recipe 1
3 cups flour
1.5 cups salt
6 tsp. cream of tarter
3 tbsp. oil
3 cups water
Pour all ingredients into a large pot. Stir constantly over medium heat until a dough ball forms by pulling away from the sides. Knead dough until the texture matches play dough (1-2 minutes). Store in plastic container. Should last for at least 3 months.

Recipe 2
1 cup baking soda
1/2 cup corn starch
3/4 cup water
Have your child mix the baking soda and corn starch in a pot. Use hands to make sure all the lumps are broken up. Add water. The adult should put the pan on the stove over medium heat and stir constantly. As soon as the mixture gathers together, remove from the heat. When it cools, have your child knead it into a smooth dough. Don't over cook this dough or it will crumble.

Recipe 3
1/4 cup salt
1 cup flour
1/4 cup water
Have your child mix the flour and salt in a bowl then add water. Knead and squeeze the dough to make a clay consistency. You may need to add more water. Note: This dough doesn't last as long as the cooked recipes.
The dough can be stored in air tight containers or left to air dry to save a finished creation

Other ideas: divide into sections, then knead in food coloring (liquid or paste). Kids love making the white play dough change colors. Use unsweetened Kool-Aid for color and scent. Add glitter for sparkly play dough.

For some creative playdough recipes, check these out:

Kool-Aid Playdough

Nutty Butter Playdough

Oatmeal Playdough

Just Like the Real Playdough (so they say)

Alum Playdough

Rubbery Playdough 

Nature's Playdough

  Playing with playdough is great to get the creative juices flowing. Feel free to also use the playdough for organized games like "Sculptionary."

"Sculptionary"

This is a really fun game that can be played with nearly any age. The younger kids may need a little help. However, don't be surprised if they are better than you are!

For:
-At least four people (five is the preferred minimum number)
-The more the merrier!

What you will need:
-A ball of playdough for each team of two to have a piece, pen, and paper

How to Play:
Have the group sit in two lines facing each other. The person across from you is your partner. If there is an odd number of people, the extra person is the judge. If not, then the end team can switch being the judge.

The judge writes down a word and passes it down one side of the line. This side of the line will be the sculptor. When the judge says go, the sculptors try to sculpt that word and their partners try to guess what the word is. The team to guess the word first wins.

Switch sides and the other side sculpts a new word from the judge. After both partners have sculpted, have everyone rotate one spot to their left (as though the two lines form a circle). Everyone will have a new partner and there will be a new judge/judges.

Rules:
The sculptors cannot say words, make noises, use actions, or anything else that is not sculpting. They must only use the playdough. The playdough can only act on itself, not on the sculptor. For example if the word is "soda" the sculptor cannot drink from a playdough can themselves. They can make a person and a can and have the playdough person drink from the playdough can.