Play Dough Play Date

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This is a two-in-one toddler favorite: the kids get to squirt colored water into a tray full of salt and flour that slowly, as they mash and knead, metamorphoses into homemade play dough to sculpt and roll.

Tips
Getting Started with Creative Projects for Little Hands
1. Keep it safe. Make sure supplies are labeled nontoxic and are not choking hazards. Discourage kids from putting supplies in their mouths.
2. Set it up. Designate an art area in your home with an easel or a low table where young artists can stand to work (this is usually easier for them).
3. Don't rush. Make sure you allow plenty of time for setup, exploration, and cleanup.
4. Don't stress over mess. Set things up so cleanup is easier for you, then try to relax and let your child have fun.
5. Write it down. Before you forget, write the date on your child's creation and, if she's talking, what she said about it.

Prep Time: About 2 to 3 hours
What you need:
	1 cup of flour 1/2 cup of salt Large, metal baking pan 1/2 cup of warm water Bowls Food coloring Measure the flour and salt into the baking pan. Divide the warm water into a few bowls and tint each with food coloring. Eyedroppers, turkey basters, or spoons
Seasons: Year round
Materials: flour
Instructions:
1.	Before you begin: Cover your work surface, keep wipes handy, and wear a smock or old clothes.
2.	Measure the flour and salt into the baking pan. Divide the warm water into a few bowls and tint each with food coloring.
3.	Now offer your child eyedroppers, turkey basters, or spoons and encourage her to squirt, spoon, or pour the colored water into the pan. With the very young, you're most likely talking about an ecstatic 2 minutes of dumping, but older kids can spend ages making colorful lakes, moats, and swamps.
4.	When the water's in, let your child stir the mixture with her hands, adding a little more flour or water, as needed, to make a soft dough to play with.
5.	Keep the fun going! If your kids enjoy this process, try making bread or biscuit dough with them. The dough will keep, refrigerated in a plastic bag, for up to a week

Variations
Creativity Booster: Make a Clay Kit
Keep a basket of fun and interesting utensils nearby, and kids can play with clay at a moment's notice. For example: cookie cutters, small rolling pin, pastry wheel, potato masher, garlic press, popsicle sticks, strawberry basket, and small wooden hammer.