A friend of ours owns a bread supplies business and loves using her bread machine.

She has sent us a recipe for making playdough in the bread machine which is quick and easy and great for those people who don’t want to get their hands mucky!

Pop the following into the machine:

1 and 1/4  cups water

2 tablespoons olive oil

squirt food colouring

3 cups of plain flour

Set the machine to the dough setting -

it only needs 5 minutes to make a nice pliable dough.

This keeps in the fridge for a couple of weeks or in an airtight container for 4-5 days. As there isn’t any salt in it, it’s OK if the children eat it!

::: make it irresisitible :::

We like to enhance the sensory experience by adding different textures such as sand, the treasure stones, and of course at this time of the year …

… glitter is always a goer!

By using vibrant colours such as the reds and greens and yellows it makes it all the more irresistible on the eye and don’t forget the sense of smell by adding a variety of essences such as peppermint, lemon, eucalyptus etc… Of course by popping on some Christmas music in the background, most sensory bases are covered!

If you are wanting a more permanent modelling mixture, a cooked salt dough could be the way to go. The children can mix it up like ordinary dough, and model it however they like.

Combine:

4 cups plain flour

1 cup cooking salt 

1 and 3/4 cups water

Knead 

for 4-5 minutes until smooth

The children shape the dough.

Place it on a greased tray and bake it 150 degrees C gas/160 degrees C electricity for 2-3 hours (depending on the size) .

When done the dough is lightly browned and should sound hollow when gently tapped.

It could then be decorated with paint or varnish when it has cooled down, if that is what the children want. Other bits such as feathers, eyes, buttons, fabric etc., can also be glued on at this stage.