Crafts for Kids: Edible Play Dough

  Jessica Ackerman - walldecorandhomeaccents.com

There is little in life more fun than a glob of play dough. Squeezing a ball of it in your hands is one of the most satisfying feelings of childhood. Play dough is a nearly universally appealing activity for kids of many ages, but there is one way to make it even more fun – by making it edible.

This project blends peanut butter and powdered sugar to create a malleable dough you can eat when you’ve finished playing. Beware! The primary ingredient in this mixture is peanut butter, so do not make this with or give this to a child with a peanut allergy.

I’ve included two recipes: One has much less sugar than the other, but both are pretty sweet. Both are delicious, but eating it in moderation is probably the healthier choice.

Age Group: 3 and up
Time: 10-15 minutes for preparation

  Materials Needed
• Mixing bowl
• Wooden spoon
• Measuring cups
• Wax paper
• Ingredients (see below) for chosen recipe
• Airtight container for storage

  Preparation

1. Cover your work area in newspaper and cut a sheet of wax paper for each child.

2. Assemble all the ingredients for your chosen recipe.

Process

  For either recipe:

1. Add peanut butter to mixing bowl first. Using a measuring cup like the one in the picture to the right makes measuring sticky ingredients like peanut butter and honey easier than using standard measuring cups.
  Simply pull the plunger to the desired amount and use a rubber scraper to scoop and pack the peanut butter. Push the plunger to deposit the entire amount into your mixing bowl without having to scrape the sides.
  If you do not have a plunger measuring tool, try spraying your measuring cup with non-stick cooking spray to make removal easier.

2. Add honey, then dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly with wooden spoon. If the mixture becomes too thick to stir, don’t be afraid to stick your hands in the dough to give it a final blend.

3. Scoop out a ball for each child to play with, encouraging them to keep the dough on the wax paper.

4. When finished, any remaining dough should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Throw out the dough if any remains after one week.
  Depending on the type of peanut butter you used, some oil may separate from the dough in between uses. Kneading the dough will blend the oil back in.

5. Tasting is encouraged!

  Variations

• Kids with peanut allergies can make edible play dough with cream cheese and powdered sugar or a mix of half powdered sugar, half oats. This also needs to be stored in an airtight container in the fridge, and should be kept no longer than a day or two after you make it.

• Crisp rice cereal can be used in place of oats in the second recipe, or in addition to them.

  Make it a Learning Experience

• Edible play dough can be used just as regular play dough is. Kids can roll it, cut it into shapes with cookie cutters and sculpt with it.

• Have young children model shapes you make. Use the activity to increase language skills in very young children by having them identify the objects you make.

• Using play dough builds fine motor skills, which contribute to good handwriting later.

  Clean Up

• Place dough in a zipper top bag or a container with an airtight lid and keep it in the refrigerator in between play sessions.

• Wipe up any spills with a damp sponge.

• Wash mixing bowl, spoon and measuring cups.

Jessica Ackerman, from WallDecorandHomeAccents.com, lends her expertise to DIY hopefuls as she explains wrought iron wall plaque as it relates to hanging wall vases.

"Abbys Digest"
Freebie E-Zine
Sign Up to Get All the New Stuff Even Before it Gets On The Site!
 3 WAYS TO  
  SUBSCRIBE  
  SIGN UP HERE