Free!
Animal Coloring Book
Activities
Parent's Place
Teacher's Lounge
New!
Children's Books
Educational Felt Toys
Product Recommendations
Contact Us

Salt Dough Recipe

  

Science Activity for Young Children

This activity connects the same scientific concepts as paper mache and paper clay.  They use flour to “bind” materials together.

This mixture makes a more traditional play-dough that can be rolled and cut like cookie dough.  It is a wonderful, flexible dough that can be reused if it is stored in an airtight container or sealed plastic bag.  Children love using this dough for pretend play (tea parties and bakeries galore) and sculpture.
Ingredients:

4 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 ½ cups hot tap water
2 teaspoons vegetable oil (optional)
Food coloring (optional)             

Tools:

Dry measuring cup (1 cup size)
Liquid measuring cup (1 cup size)
 Large mixing bowl
Spoon
Rolling pin, cookie cutters, plastic/wooden utensils for play

  1. Measure the salt and pour into mixing bowl.

  2. Measure the flour and add to salt in mixing bowl.  Stir.

  3. Measure the hot water and add gradually to the salt/flour mixture, as you stir.

  4. Keep stirring the mixture until it is well mixed.  You don’t want to dough to be too wet or too dry.  It should be firm so that it can be shaped without sticking to your fingers

    If If the mixture is too wet, add more flour.  If the mixture becomes too dry, add a bit of water.   

  5. Add vegetable oil to the mixture and stir.  The vegetable oil is optional, but will help to keep the dough soft and smooth.

  6. When the ingredients are well mixed, dump out onto a clean counter or table surface.  Knead the dough by pressing and lifting it until it can be formed into a ball. 

  7. Working with color:  If you want to add color to the dough, break the dough into several pieces and put each piece into a sealable plastic bag.  Add 2-3 drops of food coloring (more if you want) to each bag (use a different color for each bag).  Seal the bag and mix in the food coloring by squishing the sealed bag between your fingers until the color is even throughout the dough inside the bag.

  8. Use your rolling pin, cookie cutters and utensils to create various shapes, sculptures and fun!

    This a    ctivity allows you and your child the ability to use safe and simple household ingredients for play and exploration. 

While doing this activity ask your child:

·  To describe what the mixture feels like.
·  Are their any smells?
·  What changes to you see happening?
·  Why does your creation become hard when it is left out?
·  Why does the leftover dough need to be stored in an air tight container?