Wednesday 26 July 2017

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Edible Homemade Playdough


Ingredients:
1. Wholemeal flour
2. Water

Directions:
Mix and knead some amount of flour and water. Adjust with more flour or water until the dough is soft, but does not stick to your fingers.

Additional Information:
I have found many play dough recipes on the internet, but they all look rather inconvenient, requiring salt and cream of tartar. I supposed salt is added in order to extend the shelf life of the play dough. But I am not sure why cream of tartar is required. Most recipes don't realy explain why. 

I wanted simply to make some dough for Baby FECS to touch and play with - sensory experience. I wanted something that would be edible, as she loves to taste everything she plays with. I don't want her to taste play dough that contains so much salt as it would be too salty and unhealthy and at the same time, I don't want her to develop a taste for salty food. I wanted to be able to make some dough for her to play without having to struggle to use time to measure and follow a recipe, as when she is awake, it is very difficult to do anything that requires me to read instructions.

I don't want a play dough that is actually tasty and would encourage her to put it into the mouth, so just plain flour and water is perfect. But if she does put it into her mouth, I want it to be edible and healthy, so I decided to choose wholemeal flour, I know that it is safe and at the same time, would actually add to her nutrition.

I don't need a playdough that has a long shelf-life, as with her span of attention and interest, at most, we would be able to recycle it twice. So I can just put the dough in the fridge and lasting for another play the following day would be good enough for me.

So I decided to just use flour and water to make a dough for her to play with. So very simple, just two ingredients and mix until it forms a dough. It works quite well.

But even for this very simple "recipe," I only managed to try it now, as I have been bringing the kids out on most days, since it is school holidays now in Denmark. On days when we are home, time passed just so fast that it is challenging for me even to find the time and energy to mix some flour and water to form dough. Finally, our Little FECS is away this week to a camp, leaving me with Baby FECS home alone. So I finally managed to do this activity with Baby FECS today. After a few minutes, Baby FECS found it fun to make small dough and throw them on the floor.... aaarrrggghhh...

Okay, all these are just excuses... the main reason for the delay is that I dreaded the mess playing with flour would cause. I finally pluck up sufficient courage and energy today to allow Baby FECS to play with flour and dough and true enough, it was quite messy!!! I had to clean it up, but having all the nice feeling that I had given Baby FECS the sensory experience beneficial for her development, while I slogged to clean it up. Daddy FECS came home and while helping me to clean, he decided to give the high chair she sat on while playing with the dough and good hose down... what a sweetie hubby :-)

Adjust the amount of flour and water until the dough is soft, but doesn't stick to your fingers.

26 July 2017 (1Y2M10D): Baby FECS playing with homemade playdough for the first time

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