Thrifty Thursday: Making Playdough

Don't you think that it is hard to get presents for kids that you aren't playing with all the time or they don't have the same interests as your kids?  It is so hard to figure out what birthday presents to give any kid that you don't know because you don't know what they are into and if they already have it.  My best solution is to make something that will keep them busy :)  I usually include a book, coloring book, crayons, glue sticks, stickers, and anything else that I have around that is fun and crafty.  This time I decided that I would make playdough to go in the activity kit too!!

I have made playdough on a few different occasions and it seems that every time I make them, I use a different recipe.  The first time I used a Kool-aid recipe that didn't require cooking or cream of tartar (which is a super expensive ingredient).  The second time was at a friends house where we cooked it on the stove and used cream of tartar.  The one of the stove turned out less sticky and was a little more like playdough but they were both usable and we still have them.

I decided to make a "Make Your Own Playdough Kit" for a birthday present instead of making the playdough.  Isn't half the fun doing activities with the kids?  I mixed all the dry ingredients together.

I put them into a zippered bag with the instructions on the front.

On the back, I put the whole recipe in case they wanted to refill the bag or know what was in it.  It is always great to pass on the great recipes to others.

This is a great idea to make ahead for your kids or to give as a gift.  I hope that you try to make it for yourself or for an activity present.  I promise that you won't be disappointed.  If I had thought about this addition earlier, I would have included cookie cutters and a rolling pin so keep your eyes out for neat playdough toys for cheap so that you can make a really neat activity bag!!!  Here is the recipe so that you can try your own.

Kool Aid Playdough

2 cups flour
1/2 cup salt
1 packet Kool-Aid
1 cup boiling water
3 tablespoons oil

Mix the flour, salt and Kool-Aid together first so the color would magically appear when we added the water.   Add boiling water and oil and stir all the ingredients together until the mixture becomes crumbly, then knead with your hands for a few minutes until the play dough becomes a smooth ball.