My kids love playing with playdough and over the years I started to make my own homemade playdough because it's cheaper. One of my kid's favorites is our DIY rainbow playdough and its easy to make and perfect for St Patricks Day too!
Easy DIY Rainbow Playdough – Homemade Playdough
Now, this rainbow playdough is easy to make it's just a bit tedious because you have to do it for each color of your rainbow but if you can set one pot on each burner then you can do 2 rounds and be done!
First, let me answer some of the popular questions I get.
What can I use instead of food coloring play dough?
We have used Kool-aid packs and Jello packs as well. You will have to adjust the amount added based on how the color takes but start slow and small amounts. I have seen some Jello packets make a really strong color while others haven't.
Can you put food coloring in homemade playdough?
Yes, this is how we get all the fun colors. Because I don't want to stain my kid's hands I won't use any non-food coloring. There are a few options above if you want to skip the food coloring though.
Related: Rainbow Waffles Recipe
Can you use baking powder instead of cream of tartar in playdough?
No this will not let your playdough form. While I highly recommend the cream of tartar you can substitute corn starch in a pinch.
What age is good for Play-Doh?
The recommendation is for ages 2 and up. But make sure to always watch younger kids as there are still hazards like eating, choking on it, shoving it up their nose or in their ear, grinding it into your carpet, putting it in their diaper, feeding it to the dog. All true stories.
That being said this is a great way to boost kids fine motor skills and even made our list of 6 Sneaky Ways to Teach Your Kids Fine Motor Skills
Does homemade playdough go bad?
It depends on the recipe some need to be stored in the fridge but mostly ones like this one below just need to be stored in an airtight container and they last a really long time. I can't tell you how long because my kids tend to leave it out and it gets all hard but we have a few weeks under our belts.
Related: Dolphin Ocean Slime – Borax Free!
Directions for Rainbow Playdough
You will this for EACH color you choose to do.
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup salt
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
Red, orange, yellow, green and blue food coloring. Consider purple and pink too.
Extra fine glitter (optional)
Directions for Rainbow Playdough
In a small pot, combine your flour, salt, water, cream of tartar, vegetable oil, and a few drops of one color food coloring and mix well.
Cook stovetop on medium heat for just a couple minutes, stirring constantly until you have playdough like consistency.
Carefully remove the dough (it will be hot).
Once it cools down, roll it into a ball and place it in a ziplock bag.
Repeat steps 1-5 with each color.
Place each color next to each other and combine into a ball.
Roll in glitter if you choose and your playdough is ready to play with.
Store in an airtight container between uses.
Rainbow Playdough
I make my own homemade playdough because it's cheaper. One of our favorites is the DIY rainbow playdough, easy to make and perfect for St Patricks Day!
Materials
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/4 cup salt
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- Food Coloring, Red, orange, yellow, green, blue
- Extra fine glitter, optional
Tools
- Sauce Pan
Instructions
- In a small pot, combine your flour, salt, water, cream of tartar, vegetable oil, and a few drops of one color food coloring and mix well.
- Cook stovetop on medium heat for just a couple of minutes, stirring constantly until you have playdough-like consistency.
- Carefully remove the dough (it will be hot).
- Once it cools down, roll it into a ball and place it in a ziplock bag.
- Repeat steps 1-5 with each color.
- Place each color next to each other and combine into a ball.
- Roll in glitter if you choose and your playdough is ready to play with.
- Store in an airtight container between uses.
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We love our rainbow playdough but if the slime is more you thing check out our How to Make Nutella Slime – 2 Simple Edible Ingredients
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