How to Make Dough Crafts Step-by-Step

Use food coloring to make craft dough in a rainbow of colors.

The next time the weather has your clan stuck inside, seize the opportunity for some quality creativity time. Crafting dough can be made from scratch at a minute's notice for some impromptu indoor fun. The best part is that you probably already have all the ingredients you need in your kitchen. Your children will have hours of fun making their own treasures with craft dough that you can make in just a few minutes. The possibilities are endless, so let their imaginations run wild.

Things You'll Need

• Large bowl
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups salt
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. cream of tartar
• 1/8 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups hot water
• Food coloring
• Acrylic paint

Instructions

Making the Dough

1. Combine flour, salt and cream of tartar in a large mixing bowl. Mix the dry ingredients until well blended.

2. Add oil and water to the flour mixture. Combine the ingredients and knead for about eight to 10 minutes or until a soft, pliable dough forms. You may need to add more flour depending on the consistency of the dough.

3. Divide the dough into several balls. Make an indent in each ball with your thumb and add a few drops of food coloring. Knead the coloring into each of the dough balls until thoroughly mixed.

Molding and Finishing

1. Mold the dough into craft projects of your choosing. Some fun projects to make are hand-print plaques, loose change bowls, pencil holders and figurines. There is no limit to what you can create so let your imagination run wild.

2. Allow the pieces to harden for 24 to 48 hours in a dry place. You can also speed up the hardening process by baking the dough in an oven heated to 250 degrees. Check on the pieces every half hour and remove from the oven when fully hardened, usually between one and two hours.

3. Embellish your creations with acrylic paint. you may need to apply more than one coat of paint to get the desired effect. Let the paint dry for at least six hours before handling.

References

• Prepared Pantry: How to Make Play Dough