PAINT - PLAYDOUGH - CLAY

Fun Recipes for the Classroom

Recipes have been compiled from a variety of sources. Always test recipes prior to classroom introduction. Use classroom safety procedures during all activities.
*Recipes using boiling water are intended for adult use only.

Paint

Puffy Paint
Flour
Salt
Water
Tempera paint
Mix equal amounts of flour, salt and water. Add liquid tempera paint for color. Pour mixture into squeeze bottles and paint. Mixture will harden in a puffy shape.

Salt Paint
1/8 cup liquid starch
1/8 cup water
1/4 cup salt
1 tablespoon tempera paint
Mix together and apply to paper with a brush. Keep stirring mixture. Paint will crystallize as it dries.

Sand Paint
Tempera paint (powder)
Sand
Mix dry tempera paint with sand. Let kids spread glue on picture and sprinkle on sand.

Smelly Finger Paint
2 cups flour
2 packs unsweetened drink mix
1/2 cup salt
3 cups boiling water*
3 tablespoons oil
Mix wet ingredients into dry. The kids love the color change. Then finger paint away.

Gelatin Finger Paint
Any kind of flavored gelatin
Enough boiling water* to make it a gooey consistency for finger paint.
Use normal finger painting material or glossy paper. Kids enjoy the smell and feel of it.

Liquid Starch Finger Paint
1/4 cup liquid laundry starch
2 drops food coloring
Or 1 tsp. tempera paint
Mix ingredients in small plastic bowl until blended.

Flour Finger Paint
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons salt
1 1/4 cups hot water*
1 1/2 cups cold water
Food coloring or tempera paint
Put flour and salt in a saucepan and add cold water. Beat with a whisk or rotary beater until smooth. Add hot water and boil until mixture is thick. Beat until smooth. Keep in refrigerator and add food coloring as needed.

Laundry Starch Finger Paint
1 cup laundry starch dissolved in cold water
1 quart boiling water*
1 cup pure white soap flakes or powder
Food coloring or poster paint
Add boiling water to starch and cold water mixture and boil until thick. Remove from heat and stir in soap. Divide into small containers and add food coloring as desired.

Poster Paint
1/4 cup flour
1 cup water
3 tablespoons powdered tempera paint
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon liquid starch
Measure flour into saucepan. Slowly add 1 cup water until mixture is smooth. Heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Cool. Add 1/2 cup flour paste into small jar or plastic container. Add tempera paint and water for each color. For opaque finish add liquid starch. For glossy finish add liquid detergent.

Condensed Milk Paint
1 cup condensed milk
Food coloring
Mix one cup condensed milk with a few drops of food coloring. This makes a very bright, glossy colored paint.

Playdough and Clay

Playdough
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon oil food coloring
Put all ingredients in a saucepan and cook over medium heat, until dough pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a ball. Remove from heat and cool. Knead until smooth. Store in zip-lock bags or an air tight container. This makes a soft dough, and is great for playing.

Playdough # 2
3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups salt
3 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
3 cups water
Food coloring (optional)
Mix and cook over very low heat until not sticky to touch. Then cool and store in air tight container.

Salt Dough # 1
1 cup salt
1/2 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup cold water
Stir together over low heat until too thick to stir, about 2 or 3 minutes. Put on waxed paper until cool, then knead until smooth. Can be rolled or shaped. Air dry.

Salt Dough # 2
2 1/2 cups boiling water*
2 cups salt
4 cups flour
Add salt to water, then stir into flour. Knead on a flour covered surface. Shape objects, then bake at 250 for 2 to 3 hours, checking frequently after 2 hours. Paint when cooled.

Microwave Playdough
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1 cup water
1 tablespoon oil
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
Food coloring
Mix all ingredients together. Place in container and microwave on high, checking and stirring every 1 - 11/2 minutes, until dough reaches desired consistency (usually about 5 minutes). Store in air-tight container.

Oatmeal Dough
1 cup flour
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup water
Gradually add water to flour and oatmeal in bowl, Knead until mixed (this dough is sticky, but unique in texture). Model as with clay.
Variations: Add cornmeal in small quantity for texture or coffee grounds in small quantity for texture.

Uncooked Playdough
1 cup cold water
1 cup salt
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
3 cups flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Tempera paint or food coloring
Mix water, salt, oil and enough paint to make bright colors. Gradually work flour and cornstarch to consistency of bread dough.

Nutty Butter Playdough
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup powdered milk
1 cup honey
1 cup oatmeal
Mix together and play and/or eat

Flour and Salt Clay
4 cups flour
1 cup salt
Food coloring
Water to moisten
Mix the ingredients to desired dampness. Store in refrigerator to avoid spoiling. This clay dries hard and can be painted or decorated with markers or pens. To make reusable dough, add two tablespoons of cooking oil.

Sawdust Modeling "Clay"
2 cups sawdust
Liquid starch
1 cup flour or wheat paste
1 tablespoon glue (if flour is used)
Mix ingredients to workable consistency. Can be dried and painted.

Scented Playdough # 1
1/2 cup salt
2 cups water
2 tablespoons salad oil
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons alum
Unsweetened drink mix for color
Boil salt in water until salt is dissolved. Add drink mix for color. Add salad oil, flour and alum. Knead or process until smooth. Keeps for two months or longer

Scented Playdough # 2
1 package unsweetened drink mix
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1 cup hot water*
3 tablespoons cooking oil
Pour all ingredients into mixing container. Mix well with spoon until dough forms. Finish mixing dough with hands. Playdough is ready for hours of fun.

Scented Play Dough # 3
1 cup flour
1/4 cup salt
Small package unsweetened drink mix
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup water
Mix all of the ingredients together over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture forms a dough. Let the dough cool; then roll it into balls, kneading in a little more flour, if necessary. Store the play dough in airtight containers.

No-Bake Craft Clay
1 cup cornstarch
1 1/4 cups cold water
2 cups baking soda
Food coloring
Mix all ingredients except in saucepan over medium heat for 4 minutes until thick (like mashed potatoes). Add food coloring to water before adding to mixture for. Remove from heat, turn out onto a plate and cover with a damp cloth until cool. Knead like dough. Store in airtight container.

Cookie Clay
2 cups salt
2/3 cup water
1 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water
Mix salt with water in saucepan. Stir and boil. Add cornstarch and cold water. Keep heating if it does not get thick. Roll out dough on board floured with cornstarch. Cut, dry and decorate.

Baker’s Clay
4 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 teaspoon powdered alum
1 1/2 cups water
Food coloring
Mix all ingredients in bowl. If too dry, work in extra water with hands. Color by dividing and adding food coloring to each portion. Roll or mold as desired. Once molded or rolled, bake on un-greased cookie sheet for 30 minutes in 250 degree oven. Turn and bake another 1 1/2
hours. Remove and cool. When done, sand lightly if desired and paint.

Modeling Clay
2 cups salt
2/3 cup water
1 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup water (cold)
Stir salt and water over heat for about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in cornstarch and cold water.
Mix until smooth return to heat and cook until thick.
Cool before using. Store in plastic bag.

"Snow" Dough
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1 cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon cream of tarter
1/3 cup silver or clear glitter
1/4 cup white powdered tempera paint
Mix all ingredients together. Cook over medium heat, stirring until ball is formed. Knead dough until cool.

Seaside Play Dough
3 cups flour
1.5 ounces cream of tarter
3/4 cup salt
3 tablespoons cooking oil
3 cups water
1 tablespoon coconut extract
Yellow food coloring gold glitter
Combine the first five ingredients in a large pot. Whisk together until free of lumps. Stir in the coconut extract and yellow food coloring. Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat until it pulls away from the sides of the pot and forms a large ball. Knead the ball on a lightly floured board until the dough is silky smooth. Knead in the desired amount of gold glitter. When the mixture has cooled, store it in an airtight container.

Miscellaneous Recipes

Egg Dye
1/4 teaspoon food coloring
3/4 cup hot water*
1 tablespoon vinegar
Measure liquids into a bowl. Separate into small bowls. Add food coloring to each mixture. Soak hard boiled eggs in dye.

Goop # 1
One part cornstarch
One part water
Food coloring
Mix cornstarch with water and add food coloring if desired. Pour mixture onto a tray and enjoy the unique properties.

Goop # 2
2 cups salt
1 cup water
1 cup corn starch
Food coloring (optional)
Cook salt and 1/2 cup water for 4-5 minutes. Remove
from heat. Add corn starch and 1/2 cup water. Return to
heat. Stir until mixture thickens. Let cool, then store in plastic bag.

Great Goop
2 cups water
1/2 cup cornstarch
Food Coloring
Boil water in saucepan-add cornstarch stirring until smooth. Add food coloring and stir. Remove from heat and cool. Child can play with the goop on any plastic covered surface.

Homemade Silly Putty # 1
2 parts white glue
1 part liquid starch
Mix ingredients and let dry until workable. Add more glue or starch if necessary. May not work on humid days. Store in airtight container.

Silly Putty # 2
1 cup white glue
food coloring
1 cup liquid starch
Put glue and coloring in plastic container. Add starch a little at a time, stirring constantly. Keep stirring until mixture holds together like putty. Test with fingers, if too sticky, add more starch in small amounts until mass
is smooth and rubbery.

Sidewalk Chalk
2 cups water
2 cups plaster of Paris
2 tablespoons tempera paint (wet or dry)
Toilet paper tubes with duct tape over one end
Combine and stir together. Let stand a few minutes. Place tubes on cookie sheet lined with foil or wax paper. Pour mixture into holders, let stand until semi-firm. Remove holders and let dry completely—ready to use in about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. (Reminder—never pour plaster down sink.)

Sidewalk Chalk # 2
1 cup plaster of Paris
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons powdered tempera paint
Four 5-oz. waxed paper cups or one ice cube tray In a plastic bowl, mix together the plaster of Paris and the powdered tempera paint. Using a plastic spoon, slowly stir in the water until the mixture is smooth. Half fill each of the paper cups or the ice-cube tray sections. Allow the mixture to harden for one hour. Peel away the cups or pop the chalks out of the ice-cube tray.

Rainbow Stew
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup cornstarch
4 cups cold water
Cook until thick, put in bowls, add food coloring. Put in plastic zip-lock bags. Let the kids play with it while it is in the bags for a neat sensory experiences or use it to mix colors.

Colored Sand
1 cup sand
2 teaspoons of dry tempera paint
1 teaspoon water
Add the dry tempera paint to the sand; then mix well with a fork. Stir in the water. Allow the sand to dry for several hours before using.

Fruit Putty
0.3 ounce package of sugar free fruit flavored gelatin
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
4 tablespoons cream of tartar
2 cups boiling water*
2 tablespoons cooking oil
Mix the dry ingredients in a pan. Add the boiling water and cooking oil. Stir over medium-high heat until the mixture forms a ball Place the ball on waxed paper to cool. Sore in an airtight  container. Cut the fruit picture from the gelatin box and paste to the lid. Use different flavors to make all different colors and smells.

Glitter Sparkle Bottles
Remove the label from a clean, clear 16 oz. Plastic soda bottle. Pour at least 1/2 cup of light corn syrup into the bottle. Then add a few drops of food coloring and some glitter and/or confetti. Hot glue the lid onto the bottle. Have the children swirl and shake the bottle and watch its movement.

Beluga Bubbles
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup blue dish washing liquid
1 teaspoon salt
Combine all ingredients. Mix well until salt dissolves.

Bubble Mix # 2
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup liquid detergent
1 tablespoon cooking oil
Mix together and use.

Monster Bubbles
6 cups water
3/4 cup corn syrup
2 cups Joy dish washing liquid
Mix together. Let set 4 hours, then enjoy!