Learning how to make homemade playdough has been such a lifesaver for rainy afternoons at my house! My kids love helping to make this Kool Aid playdough, and then getting right to playing with it afterwards. It’s fun to experiment with different colors, and it keeps us all entertained for hours. This easy craft recipe is so fun for all ages!
Kool Aid Playdough Recipe
Keeping my kids busy can be quite a hassle. I’m always looking for new craft projects to entertain them that don’t break the bank, and learning how to make homemade playdough has been the perfect way to keep them busy. It may get everyone’s hands a little messy, but it’s worth it to see them having so much fun.
My kids love Kool-aid and somehow always convince me to buy a big pack, so this DIY play dough is a great way to use up extra packets!
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Using Cream of Tartar
I use cream of tartar when making playdough to create the perfect texture. It causes a chemical reaction in the dough that helps to make it fluffy. You don’t have to use this ingredient, but without it, the dough will have a denser texture. I found you can get it on Amazon for a better price than the grocery stores.
Homemade Playdough Recipe (with Kool-Aid)
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour *
- ½ cup kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar **
- 0.26 ounces Kool-Aid drink mix (2 (0.13-ounce) packets)
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil ***
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the flour, salt, cream of tartar, and Kool-Aid until there are no lumps.1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup kosher salt, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 0.26 ounces Kool-Aid drink mix
- Pour in the water and oil, stirring to combine.1 cup water, 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
- While stirring, heat the mixture over medium-low heat until it begins to thicken and gather around the spoon.
- Remove the mixture from the pan and place it on a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper. Knead the mixture until it becomes a nice smooth texture.
Notes
- If the playdough is exposed to air, it will start to dry out quickly. So store immediately after use.
- If the playdough starts to get dry, you can knead in a small amount of oil to add moisture. Sadly it can’t be saved once it hardens.
- When storing this playdough, use a durable Ziplock bag or Tupperware that’s truly airtight.
- For an even more vibrant color, or just to experiment with colors, you can use food dye! Squirt in a few drops when you’re initially pouring all of the ingredients into the pot.
How to Make Homemade Playdough with Kool-Aid Step-by-Step
Prep: Grab any color Kool-aid mixes you want to use, a medium-sized pot, and the rest of the playdough ingredients measured out and ready to go. Work with one color/Kool-Aid mix at a time. If you’d like to make multiple colors, make each batch of playdough separately.
Add Flour: Add 1 cup of all-purpose flour to a saucepan, off heat.
Whisk the Dry Ingredients: Then whisk in ½ cup of kosher salt, 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar, and 0.26 ounces (2 (0.13-ounce) packets) of Kool-Aid drink mix until there are no lumps.
Add Liquid: Pour in 1 cup of water, and 1 tablespoon of canola or vegetable oil, stirring to combine.
Heat: While stirring, heat the playdough mixture over medium-low heat, just until it begins to thicken and gather around the spoon. It should form a solid dough, but you don’t want to over-cook it or it will become dry and crackly.
Knead the Playdough: Remove the mixture from the pan and place it on a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper. Knead the mixture until it becomes a nice smooth texture. Form it into a ball for easy use. If it seems dry, knead a small amount of water or oil into the dough. Let it cool before handing over to the kids to play with.
Make more Colors: Repeat this process with other colors of Kool-aid mix to make a whole rainbow of homemade playdough! Use or store balls of dough immediately.
How to Store
This playdough will start to dry out when exposed to air, and it’s difficult to re-moisturize it once that happens, so store it immediately after using. Place kool-aid playdough in sealed, airtight containers; or resealable bags with all of the air pressed out. It will keep at room temperature up to 2 months.
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