Perfect Playdough?

I recently made five batches of playdough in one afternoon for my son's birthday party. While stirring, and stirring, and stirring I was contemplating whether my recipe was as good as it gets.

I'd love to hear about any other recipes you have. This one cooks up easy with ingredients you probably have on hand, looks terribly lumpy and like it's not going to work out, but you keep cooking and stirring and sure enough it forms a ball. Inspired by my son's awesome teachers at The Children's Studio I tried a couple batches with scents thrown in (cinammon, mint, vanilla, lemon). It keeps for quite a while in a tupperware at room temperature.

Cooked Play Dough
from Kindergarten Cooks by Nellie Edge and Pierr Leitz

1 cup flour
1 Tbs oil
1 cup water
1/2 cup salt
2 tsp cream of artar
food coloring

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan.
Cook over medium heat.
Stir constantly until mixture forms a ball (and you think your arm will fall off)
Knead until smooth.
Store in a covered container.

So that's the best I've found. But here are two more that I plan to try out once my five batches get dried out. Test them out and share the results with me if you get a chance.

Playful Peanut Butter Dough
from Kindergarten Cooks by Nellie Edge and Pierr Leitz

1/2 large sized jar creamy peanut butter
2 Tbs honey
2 cups powdered milk
raisins
mini marshmallows

Put peanut butter into a bowl.
Add honey and some of the powdered milk.
Mix it with your hands.
Keep adding powdered mlk until the dough feels soft and playful.
Use it like playdough.
Mold it into shapes.
Or use cookie cutters.
Make designs with raisins and marshmallows.



KoolAid Dough
from the BC Parent Handbook for 1st Year Toddler Class

Depending on what flavor KoolAid you use, this dough has a wonderful smell and unusual color.

Boil 2 cups water and add 3 Tbs oil.
Add these to the following dry ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup salt
1 Tbs cream of tartar or alum
2 packages of unsweetened KoolAid (any flavor)

Cool a little and knead. This recipe works well in the food processor.