Salt Dough

I like play dough for the sensory satisfaction it provides my children.  If they are fighting or bored, it is always soothing to pull out something physical to do on a small scale. This is fun to keep little hands busy for times when the weather isn't cooperative for playing outdoors.  It will stay soft for a couple of weeks in a zipper closure bag.  You can bake your creations and paint them too.

Basic Salt Dough
2 c. flour
1 c. salt
2 Tbsp. oil
water

Place the salt, flour and oil in a bowl and stir.  Add water a little at a time until all is moistened and crumbly.  Use your hands to knead the dough together, add a bit of flour or a bit of water to get the consistency you want.  You can knead in food coloring to color the dough.

Notes: You can bake this and paint the hardened creations.  This works best if the dough is even thickness, like you get rolling it with a rolling pin.  A fun idea is to make ornaments: roll the dough with a rolling pin about 1/4 inch thick.  Cut with cookie cutters, use a straw to poke a hole for the string.  Bake in a slow oven (275 degrees) until dried and hard.  Let cool and paint with acrylics.
Jenny