Homemade Playdough
Homemade playdough winter activity for parents and kids!
Homemade playdough is one of my favorite winter crafts to do with my students! Its a great sensory activity, in the mixing and making as well as the playing, and its a fantastic way to learn about and experiement with colors, when choosing which ones to mix to match to achieve your desired playdough color!
There are many playdough recipes online, all slightly different from the other. Here’s how we make ours!
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 cup salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup water
desired food coloring
Directions:
Mix flour, cream of tartar, salt, vegetable oil, and water in large bowl
Once mixed add food coloring and fold or stir in
Put in sauce pan and cook over low to medium heat, stirring frequently, until playdough starts to harden and reach desired texture. (be careful touching playdough, as it will be hot!)
Take off heat and allow to cool before touching
Once cool, knead dough for a few minutes to make it a bit softer and malleable
Have fun playing with your homemade playdough!
As always, I’d love to see your creations. Tag us on Instagram @littlenaturalistsmn to share! Happy creating!
Bird Seed Ornament
Bird Seed Ornament Feeders
This is such a fun project and a great creative, motor skill and sensory craft! Bird seed ornaments, which will most likely also be enjoyed by other winter woodland friends as well, can be made overnight and hung the next day! All you need is some bird seed and a few other ingredients! If you’d like to make your own, follow the instructions below! Happy creating!
Bird Seed Ornaments:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup water
2 packets gelatin
3 tbsp corn syrup
3 cups bird seed
Items needed:
Parchment paper
Paper straws
Baking sheet
cookie cutters
Directions:
In a large bowl mix all in ingredients (bird seed being last)
grab a baking sheet and line with parchment paper.
Place cookie cutters on sheet
fill cookie cutters with bird seed mix. Be sure to pack down with a spoon or fingers, ensuring the mix is tightly packed inside the cookie cutters. Fill cutters to top.
Cut plastics straws in quarters and press into bird seed ornament ensuring it pierces all the way through the mixture, making a hole to layer pull strings through to hang.
place baking sheet with bird seed filled cookie cutters outside (if you live in a cold climate) or in the refrigerator for 5-6 hours or over night.
After ornaments have hardened, take them out of the refrigerator or from outside and place string through hole previously made.
Go outside and hang your beautiful creation! See if you can spot the different animal friends that stop by to say hi and grab a bite to eat!
Tip:
Making the string holes in the center of the ornament rather than towards an edge will help ensure durability.