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–+ servings
Valentine's Day Playdough
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Valentine’s Day Playdough

This Valentine’s Day Playdough recipe is a fun and creative activity for you and your children to enjoy together. It’s quick and easy to make and is taste safe, as it’s made from real food ingredients.
Prep Time10 minutes
Active Time5 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Yield: 1 large tub of playdough
Author: Rachel

Equipment

Materials

  • 1 cup plain / all-purpose flour (150g)
  • ½ cup table salt (150g)
  • 2 tbsp cream of tartar approx. 20g
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil melted approx. 22g
  • ½ cup boiling water (110ml)
  • 1 tsp red food colouring gel approx. 4ml but amount will depend on brand
US Cups/lbs/oz - Grams/ ml

Instructions

  • Add the flour, salt and cream of tartar to a large bowl and mix well.
  • Melt 2 tablespoons (approximately 22ml) of coconut oil in a saucepan or microwave. Add this to the dry ingredients and mix.
  • Pour 110ml (1/2 cup) of boiling water into a measuring jug. Add up to 1 teaspoon of red food colouring gel to the water and mix well.
    If the brand of food colouring gel you are using is highly concentrated then you may not need to use as much to achieve a vibrant red colour.
    Make sure the boiling water has turned a dark red colour and the gel has dissolved. Then add the water to the other ingredients.
  • Combine well using a spoon and then use your hands to thoroughly bring the mixture together to form a dough.
  • Use your hands to massage the playdough to make sure all of the ingredients are well combined.
    If after a while the playdough feels too dry, add a splash of water or coconut oil to add more moisture.
    If the playdough feels too wet and sticky, add some more flour until it feels like more of a playdough consistency.

Notes

Keep it cost effective – use items that you already have around your home to decorate your playdough with. We used the following items:
• Heart shaped cookie cutter
• Small rolling pin
• Reusable silicone cupcake holders
• Biodegradable glitter (chunky glitter works better than fine)
• Jewels from a craft set
• Cocktail sticks with cardboard hearts on top
 
Here are some other ideas of things you may have around your home:
• Different shaped cookie cutters or playdough tools
• Wooden ice lolly sticks
• Pipe cleaners
• Sea shells
• Dry pasta
• Beads or marbles
 
My little girls loved using their imaginations to make cupcakes and cookies out of our Valentine’s Day playdough. It kept them entertained for the best part of an hour.
 
Storage
When you have finished playing with your playdough, store it in an airtight container at room temperature.
Plastic tubs or glass jars with lids both work well.
If stored correctly, this playdough will last for several months.
 
Taste Safe
This recipe is taste safe if your little one were to put a small amount of it in their mouths.
However, it should not be eaten and special care should be taken if you have added any extra bits to the playdough (like glitter or beads), if your child is still prone to putting things in their mouths.