Play Dough: The Best Recipe for
Fun and Learning

What is this unit about?

This unit is all about the importance of play dough-a simple homemade modeling dough that has surprising value for young children. Learn why play dough is such an important part of a good childcare program and what you can do to make play with play dough great for kids.

Making play dough

Most of us grew up with play dough. While we might take it for granted, that simple dough made of flour, salt, and water is a trusty friend to the childcare provider. Fun to make and to use, play dough is a great activity for children, helping them grow.

The best kind of play dough is a cooked recipe. This recipe makes a soft and malleable dough that lasts through lots of play.

The Best Cooked Play Dough Recipe
This recipe makes long-lasting play dough.

1 cup flour
1 cup water
½ cup salt
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
1 tablespoon oil
Food coloring

Mix dry ingredients and mix wet ingredients, then stir together. Stir constantly over medium heat until the ingredients change from a lumpy paste into more of a rubbery blob. The color will also change a bit, turning less pastel: If you use red dye it will become less pink and more red. Turn out onto a working surface and knead the dough. After making the dough store it in zipper-style bags in individual portion sizes for each child in your program.

To get a strong color, you need a great deal of coloring, perhaps a tablespoon. If you regularly make large amounts of play dough, you can save money by buying large containers of cream of tartar and coloring at a restaurant supply store or discount store.

You can also make this dough in the microwave: microwave on high for 3-4 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Let cool and knead.

The Best Uncooked Play Dough Recipe
This recipe is easy and ideal if you care for younger children and don't want to use a hot stove.

¼ cup salt
1 cup flour
¼ cup water
Food coloring

Mix the salt and flour in a bowl. Add water and food coloring. Knead dough to make a clay consistency. Note: This dough doesn't last as long as the cooked recipe.

All childcare providers need to be concerned about what children will put in their mouths, but you don't need to worry about using these homemade play dough recipes. Usually it is best to introduce children to play dough when they are older than 18 months. When they first have play dough they will taste it, but it is so salty that after only a few tastes children will discover that play dough is much more fun to play with than to eat.

Play dough is a sensory play material like sand and water. Children thrive on sensory activities. What can children learn just by squeezing and messing around with a little bit of dough? A lot!

Fine motor skills
Children are developing their hand muscles as they use play dough. This is called fine motor development. Fine motor activities such as play dough strengthen muscles and develop coordination that children will later need for skills such as writing. Give children plastic knives to cut the play dough and cookie cutters and rolling pins to roll out the dough and cut shapes. Offer this activity every day.

Imagination and creativity
Children who are beginning to play imaginatively can turn play dough into anything. Give them birthday candles and cake toppers and encourage them to shape play dough into a cake. Dramatic play is valuable for young children: It deepens their thinking and helps them get ready for success in school. Dramatic play is even more important than teaching children letters or numbers!

Longer attention spans
Young children naturally have short attention spans, moving like a tornado from one activity to another. Sensory activities like sand, water, and play dough are activities that keep young children playing for longer periods of time, helping stretch attention spans.

Emotional development
Play dough (like other sensory activities) is calming and soothing. Sensory activities are a good way for children to release tension. While these activities may be messy, recognize that the mess is worth it because these activities are very relaxing and make the day go much more smoothly.

Social skills
Children can practice sharing materials. When you add dramatic play props (see below for more ideas) you can give children a chance to share their ideas and play imaginatively together.

Props are just toys you offer with the play dough to help encourage imaginative play. Since the youngest children have the most difficulty sharing, try to have many duplicate props: rolling pins, plastic knives, and cookie cutters. As children begin to play more imaginatively, add things that boost the dramatic play. Suggest that the children make pies, and give them little aluminum pie pans, plates, and two colors of play dough.