Easy Homemade Playdough Recipe with Cream of Tartar

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This homemade playdough recipe is nonsticky and the softest and I have found.

I’ve made homemade playdough ever since my kids were little. It’s the perfect activity for those rainy days or when you have a case of the homeschool winter blues.

With a few simple household ingredients, you can have safe and soft playdough ready in minutes for your kids.

There are so many activities you can use in your homeschool with playdough.

  • Toddlers can learn how to make shapes and letters.
  • Perfect for sensory play.
  • Build up fine motor skills.
  • Elementary kids can practice spelling words by forming letters with playdough.
  • Create shapes for states or countries.
  • Middle school kids can create sculptures from their history lessons.
  • Making sculptures for artwork.
  • Or you can just let them play and make fake food like mine are doing now 🙂

The uses for playdough are endless and it will keep your kids busy for hours at a time and off of screens!

Easy Homemade Playdough Recipe with Cream of Tartar

You only need flour, salt, cream of tartar, water, and oil which most of us have right in our kitchen.

The cream of tartar can be left out but it really helps to keep the playdough elasticity and stretchy.

The salt helps to preserve the playdough so it lasts longer.

This recipe is my absolute favorite because it’s not the least bit sticky when it’s done and it’s super soft which is perfect for small fingers.

You can use food coloring to color your playdough. I look for natural food coloring made from plants such as beets instead of the cheap toxic colorings.

The playdough is a natural off white color when it’s done which I think is beautiful as well.

Yield: 2 cups

Easy Homemade Playdough Recipe

Easy Homemade Playdough Recipe

This easy homemade playdough recipe with cream of tartar is soft and non-sticky making it perfect for hours of play.

Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Flour
  • 1 cup Water
  • 1/2 cup of Salt
  • 2 tsp. Cream of Tartar
  • 1 Tbs. Vegetable Oil

Instructions

  1. Pour all ingredients in a saucepan and stir until combined.
  2. Turn on heat to medium and continue to stir.
  3. Once playdough balls up on the spoon take off the heat and continue to stir.
  4. Kneed the ball of playdough on wax paper until it's free of lumps and soft.
  5. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

You can use food coloring to color the playdough or choose to leave it natural looking.

After your kids are done playing with their playdough, simply place it in a zip lock bag or a plastic container for storage.

Do you make a homemade playdough recipe at your house? Let us know what your favorite recipe is in the comments below.

Thanks for sharing!

5 thoughts on “Easy Homemade Playdough Recipe with Cream of Tartar”

    1. It doesn’t take long at all, just stir until it clumps together into a “dough”.

  1. how long does it last and does it need refrigeration? Great recipe. We just made it with our 3 boys and they had a blast. Not messy or sticky. Thank you for sharing it.

    1. I keep it in a container in the fridge for at least a few weeks depending on how often it’s used. Enjoy!

    2. I do not keep in the refrigerator and it lasts several weeks.

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