Rollin' in the Dough

Let's face it folks, if you live anywhere North of, say, the 35th parallel you are in what can be referred to as the 'Dog Days of Winter' (hey, even L.A. saw recent snow). Here at our house, the weather outside has been frightful. And, though work cancellations are delightful...not being able to place Lukas in daycare for a bit of playtime with his buddies has brought on a serious bought of cabin fever for all of us.

So, with all the local playrooms closed due to the weather and us not wanting to venture out into the biting cold for a walk or stroll, Mrs. LIAYF had the great idea of making playdough. I hadn't known that you could make it at home, and surprisingly enough to me, it turned out to be just what the boredom doctor ordered.

Lukas was as concentrated with the whole process - from mixing and making the dough, to playing with it - as we have seen him in quite some time. We had everything we needed around the house to make it, and he had a ton of fun using cookie cutters, baking tins, and utensils to shape and form the finished dough. It kept him occupied for nearly an hour! That's a toddler eternity.

So, if you have a young kid or two and need something to do, consider making some dough. Mrs. LIAYF found this recipe on the web, but you could do some research of your own.

Playdough Recipe (need one bowl of these ingredients for each color)
1/2 cup white all-purpose flour
1/4 cup salt
1 Tablespoon cream of tartar




Mix each bowl of dry ingredients well. In a separate measuring cup combine 1/3 cup boiling water (or just hot water if working with toddlers), food coloring and 1/2 Tablespoon oil. Add this entire mixture to each bowl of dry ingredients and knead well (add more flour or salt if too sticky). Seal in plastic container or ziplock bag to store. Will last longer in the refrigerator.

This playdough is non-toxic, but too salty to taste good to a kid. However, if you get snowed in and can't make it to the grocery store it might go well with beer and pretzels. Enjoy!