How do I make...

[littleblue]

I am rubbish at this stuff but want to start making my own resources. Anyone got any recipes for salt dough, playdough, and any other sensory or crafty things that you make for your little ones? Thank you!

[Monkey26]

Salt dough - 2 cups plain flour, 1 cup cold water, 1 tablespoon cooking oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Mix together, let kids play with/shape then either air dry for 48-72 hours or bake in oven at 80oC for three hours

[JulieA]

Discovery bottles are nice - and cheap too. You can theme them or relate them to a story.

Get some small bottles - e.g. the Tropicana size with your McDonalds!, wash it out well and leave it to dry thoroughly. Pop in some bits to tie in with your theme and glue the lid on.

I have a large bottle for each Season; colour themed bottles (e.g. red contains some small pom poms, a crayon, a peg, a lego brick, some red confetti, a pipecleaner and a lolly stick); some with different liquids and glitters or food colouring or oils in; some natural ones - leaves, stones, feathers; shiny ones; heavy ones; magnetic ones.

It can get out of hand though!

[samsstars]

Lovely ideas Julie - thanks for sharing, will add to my ever growing 'list'

[littleblue]

Thanks! I just made my first discovery bottle yesterday and my son spent all day asking me to open it (had glues the lid shut so I couldn't!) but eventually started playing with it. I like the idea of the colour themed ones! How long does the salt dough last?

[Monkey26]

Thanks! I just made my first discovery bottle yesterday and my son spent all day asking me to open it (had glues the lid shut so I couldn't!) but eventually started playing with it. I like the idea of the colour themed ones! How long does the salt dough last?

Once shaped and baked I let the kids paint them and then I varnish them so they will last as long as they don't get dropped etc think Christmas decorations! We also made some Olympic medals with salt dough and I sourced some gold, silver and bronze paint - parents loved them! Xx

[freckleonear]

I use the no-cook playdough recipe here, it's very quick and easy: http://www.theimaginationtree.com/p/...alt-dough.html.

Chocolate playdough is my favourite, it smells wonderful! I also like to add sensory ingredients like glitter, dried couscous (gives a great texture, could also use oats, mini pasta shapes, etc.) and flavourings for different scents.

[gegele]

what do i do wrong with my salt dough it seem to never really dry!!!????

try to follow recipe exactly but never works!!!!

any tip

[freckleonear]

what do i do wrong with my salt dough it seem to never really dry!!!????

try to follow recipe exactly but never works!!!!

any tip

How long do you bake it for? I find that leaving it in a very low oven for a few hours or overnight usually works for the stubborn bits.

[loocyloo]

Discovery bottles are nice - and cheap too. You can theme them or relate them to a story.

Get some small bottles - e.g. the Tropicana size with your McDonalds!, wash it out well and leave it to dry thoroughly. Pop in some bits to tie in with your theme and glue the lid on.

I have a large bottle for each Season; colour themed bottles (e.g. red contains some small pom poms, a crayon, a peg, a lego brick, some red confetti, a pipecleaner and a lolly stick); some with different liquids and glitters or food colouring or oils in; some natural ones - leaves, stones, feathers; shiny ones; heavy ones; magnetic ones.

It can get out of hand though!

ooo, what do you put in a seasonal one? i can do autumn ... thats easy ... leaves, seeds etc but am stumped on the rest!

[Scout]

love the discovery bottle ideas Julie, gonna start one tomorrow

[mumof4]

cloud dough....8 cups of flour and 1 cup of baby oil, mix together. Looks like pastry mix. Only just found this and its become my favourite messy play, the lo`s love it and can easily spend half an hour moulding shapes and patterns before destroying them