Orginally posted by QOTH: Basic Salt Dough
...easy to toss together but doesnt have a very long shelf life..best if you are making something and going to let it dry and harden (Christmas ornaments...ect)
1 cup table salt
1 cup flour
1/2 cup water
food coloring if desired...and what kid doesn't want it funky colors?
mix food coloring into the water before adding it to the salt and flour...instead of kneading it in later...less mess.
For scented and colored dough use a package of unsweetened koolaid instead of the food cloring
Cooked Salt Dough
....this one lasts longer and is more like the name brand Playdoh
1 cup of flour
1 T. vegetable oil
1 cup water
2 t. cream of tartar
food coloring
saucepan
1. mix the food coloring into the water
2. heat all the ingredients over low heat until the mixture forms a ball
3. knead when cool
Puffy Paint/Glue
Mix equal parts of shaving cream with glue. You can add food coloring for color if you want. Use a craft stick to stir and to put on paper. The mixture will puff up when it dries.
Recipe for Silly Putty
In a zip loc bag, place 1 tablespoon Elmer's glue, 1 tablespoon water and 2 drops of food coloring Mix well. In a container mix 1/2 cup water and 1 tablespoon Borax. After the glue, water and food coloring have been mixed, add 1 tablespoon of the borax mixture. Close Ziploc and mix well. The result is a very, very close resemblance to the real silly putty.
Homemade Stickers
1 Tbs. Jell-O (Any Flavor) 2 Tbs. BOILING water Mix water and Jell-O until dissolved. Paint to back of pre-cut shapes of paper. When dry, children can lick and stick, and they taste good.
Homemade "Shaving Cream" Paint
Great for painting the shower walls!
Mix 3 teaspoons Shampoo with a small amount of water in a mixing bowl. Whip with an electric mixer until it becomes like shaving cream. Add food coloring if desired. We made beautiful blue and purple cream and the strawberry smell was much nicer then shaving cream! I use muffin tins to make a pallet for the budding bathtub artists
Sidewalk Paint
You'll need: 1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup water 6-8 drops of food coloring
Mix the cornstarch and cold water together. Add food coloring and stir. Repeat to make different colors. NOTE: This paint can be easily washed off with water and is great for painting large areas temporarily!!! (Every year our town has a sidewalk drawing contest on the 4th of July...I got this recipie from one of the cities local artist)
Frugal tip for dried out markers!
Don't throw out those old, dried out markers. Let the children dip them in water and use them like watercolors. When the tip turns white---It's time to throw them away!
Floam
2-Tsp. Borax (available in laundry aisle at your grocery store)
½-Cup Water (Tap water is fine)
¼-Cup White Glue (available in Craft/Department/Discount Stores)
¼-Cup Water (Tap water is fine)
1-Zip Lock Bag (1 qt. Bag is best)
Food Coloring (Optional- but kids like colors)
Styrofoam Beads (about 2 - bathroom 3 oz. cups full for above)
MIXING DIRECTIONS -
1. Dissolve 2-Tsp. Borax Completely in ½-cup (4 oz.) water.
2. In a separate bowl mix ¼-cup (2 oz.) white glue and ¼-cup (2 oz.) water. Add food coloring of your choice to this solution.
3. Pour the glue solution into a zip lock bag. Then add 1-Tbs. of the Borax/water solution to the glue solution. At this point you will think that this stuff will never come out of this bag.
4. Add Styrofoam Beads to the mixture to make “Floam”.
5. Seal bag and knead by hand until thoroughly mixed. Let stand about 15 minutes, and then knead by hand again. Take out of bag when the gel (“Floam”) separates easily from the inside bag walls. It will have the consistency of dough.
When not in use store in sealed plastic bag to prevent evaporation.
Fun & frugal things for your kids! 
Re: Fun & frugal things for your kids! 
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