Objective

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to make your own play dough and understand the basic science behind its creation.

Materials and Prep

• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 cup of salt
• 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• Food coloring (optional)
• 1.5 cups of boiling water
• Mixing bowl
• Spoon or spatula

No special preparation is required for this lesson.

Activities

1. Mixing the Dry Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and cream of tartar. Mix them together using a spoon or spatula.
2. Adding Oil: Add the vegetable oil to the dry mixture and stir well. This will help make the play dough soft and pliable.
3. Boiling Water: Carefully pour the boiling water into the bowl. Be cautious as the water is hot and may splatter. Stir the mixture until it forms a dough-like consistency.
4. Kneading and Coloring: Once the mixture has cooled down, knead the dough with your hands until it becomes smooth and elastic. If desired, you can add a few drops of food coloring to make the play dough colorful.
5. Play and Explore: Now that you have made your own play dough, have fun shaping it into different objects, animals, or anything else you can imagine. You can also use cookie cutters or other tools to create different shapes.

Talking Points

• "Today, we are going to make our very own play dough!"
• "We will need flour, salt, cream of tartar, vegetable oil, and boiling water."
• "Mixing all these ingredients together will create a special dough that we can play with."
• "The hot water helps the ingredients stick together and form a dough."
• "We need to knead the dough to make it smooth and stretchy."
• "If you want, we can add some food coloring to make the play dough colorful and fun."
• "Now, let's use our imagination and shape the play dough into different things."
• "You can also use tools like cookie cutters to create different shapes."
• "Remember to have fun and be creative with your play dough!"