A Survival Guide to the
SCHOOL HOLIDAYS Together with www.MomsMatter.co.za
MAKE YOUR OWN PLAYDOUGH
Make your own PlayDough With the school holidays coming up I'm sure that many moms will be looking for ideas on how to keep the kids entertained. Play dough is a classic childhood toy everyone can have fun with and it's so easy to make at home you may never want to buy again! You will need: 2 cups flour 2 cups warm water 1 cup salt 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 tablespoon cream of tartar Food colouring Disposable gloves Here's how: •
Mix all of the ingredients together, and stir over low heat. The dough will begin to thicken until it resembles mashed potatoes.
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When the dough pulls away from the sides and clumps in the centre, remove the pan from heat and allow the dough to cool enough to handle. Keep stirring and cooking until the dough is dry and feels like play dough. *If your play dough is still sticky, you simply need to cook it longer!
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Turn the dough out onto a clean counter or glass board and knead vigorously until it becomes silky smooth.
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Divide the dough into balls for colouring. Pop on the disposable gloves and make a well in the centre of each ball; add food colouring. Fold the dough over, working the food colour through the body of the play dough. Work the dye through, adding more as necessary to achieve your chosen colour.
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When you're done, store your play dough in an air-tight container. Notes: If the play dough begins to dry out, you can knead a bit of water in again to soften the dough back to use ability. Once it's dried past a certain point, however, you'll just have to start over. If the play dough gets soggy, you can re-heat it to drive off the extra water the dough absorbed overnight.
Make Your Own Christmas Tree Decorations You can also make your own Christmas ornaments with your playdough! Simply cut out shapes using your favorite cookie cutters, and leave then bake on low heat in the oven until completely dry. Then paint or decorate the surface, and enjoy your very own hand-made Christmas decorations! Project supplied by www.home-dzine.co.za