Play dough and salt dough are both great ideas for little ones to explore their creativity. They can provide the basics for moving on to both baking and sculptural skills. When they are very young, take advantage of play dough as both a creative and social medium. The hands-on squishiness of dough both relaxes children and opens them up to others. The other great advantage is has is that nothing needs to be permanent, so there are no ‘mistakes’ to frustrate your toddler.

Here is a simple play dough recipe that seldom fails. There are others but this is the simplest.

4 cups flour

2 cups salt

4 tablespoons cooking oil

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Food coloring of your choice

4 cups cold water

Note: you can use as much or little food coloring as you like, but its quantity needs to be included in the 4 cups of water, if it is not the dough will be too sticky.

Mix all the ingredients fairly well together then stir continuously over a low to medium heat. The dough will start to glob together and thicken so it is important to keep stirring to keep it smooth. You don’t want to burn it just cook it a little. With a lid on leave it till cool enough to handle and give it a good knead.

For variety you can add glitter to the cooked dough (if your child is past the everything in the mouth stage). Provide plastic knives, cookie cutters, and rollers. Sometimes things like plastic animals or toys can spark off creative play with the dough too.

Salt Dough Decorations

If your little one is still at the putting things in their mouth stage you will have to watch them, but a little of this mixture won’t do them any harm and most are put off by the strong saltiness.

In a large bowl put in around 4 cups or more of flour. To this add about 3 cups of salt. Yes that is a lot of salt but that is what helps bake the decorations or sculptures rock hard. Mix in as much lukewarm water as needed to make stiff but pliable dough. You are after about the same consistency here as play dough but without the heating.

Now you have your dough your little one can shape it as they please. Or show them and help them to roll out the dough to around ¼ to ½ inch thickness. Use cookie cutters, or a plastic knife for freeform shapes. If you want to hang these later, make a hole in the top. Bake in a slow oven at low heat for around an hour until the dough is good and hard, (This is an adult’s job). When cool they can be painted with non-toxic paint and or glittered. Seal them with diluted white glue and hang on the tree or let your little one make them into a mobile for their room.