Play Clay Created in a Pan

Ingredients

• 1 cup salt, canning
• 2 cups flour
• 4 tablespoons cream of tartar+
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cups water
• 4 drops red food coloring
• 4 drops blue food coloring

Mix in Pan

We had the granddaughters over for an overnight stay, and the one likes to play with play clay, so we usually make some when they are there. Plus, they get to help make it, so it is educational as well. In these pandemic times, it counts as a home economics class on their home schooling. Win/Win.

Making the play clay is fairly simple. You measure all your ingredients, in the order given, place them in a 4 quart pan for easier stirring. No bowl. Just directly in to the pan.

Once you have added all the dry ingredients together, then add the oil. Stir around until it is clumped with the mixture. Then, add your water. It will look somewhat soupy. We added the food coloring to the mixture so that it would be colored when it was done.

Heat, on medium. The mixture needs to be stirred to keep from sticking to the bottom of the pan. As it heats, the water will evaporate with the steam, leaving the mixture. It will form a ball when it is done.

Let cool, and let the games begin!

Once it forms a ball, and the outside is no longer sticky, it is removed from heat.

I like to give each granddaughter a paper plate to put their clay on. First, it keeps the play clay from adhering to the table. Second, if they need to move their 'creation' quickly to the one end of the table, the plate makes it easier.

When done playing with, it can be stored in a zip-type plastic bag. You can also bake your creations in an oven. Perhaps a dehydrator would work best. You are simply removing what water remains in the clay. Of course, air drying does work but it takes time to air dry.

After drying, the creations can be painted and coated with polyurethane.

[When I was a child, my mother would make tiny birds, paint them, and her friend would incorporate them into a ring for Christmas ornaments]