Isn’t it funny how a scent, even the mere hint of a scent, can trigger a memory? Standing at the sink, washing out a bowl I used to make cookie dough, the hot water mixed with the remaining flour stuck to the bowl and suddenly I was transported back in time. I wasn’t a tired, achy 39 year old mommy; I was a little girl sitting at my Nana’s kitchen table. It was the smell of salt dough, Nana’s special homemade play dough that came to me as I scrubbed the mixing bowl.

When I was a girl, long before Pinterest.com existed, my Nana was the best play lady around. (She still is, just ask her great-grandchildren.) She had all of the best ideas to occupy little hands and minds. Her play dough (Play-doh being the “brand name,”) was a rainy day must. It was so easy to make from a few kitchen staples and priceless as a cure for rainy day boredom.

credit for the photo goes to http://www.snugasabugbaby.com/make-your-own-play-doh/

Recipe:
2 cups flour
2 cups water

1 cup salt

4 tsp. cream of tartar

2. Tbsp. Cooking oil

Food coloring

Mix wet ingredients into dry in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until it thickens. Then remove dough, shape into a ball and kneed well.

The boys and Nana stirring the dough

I am so happy that my kids get to experience Nana’s homemade play dough. It was a lifesaver one gloomy day at the lake. We couldn’t swim or boat due to rain, but Nana had the solution!

The guys, hard at work creating play dough masterpieces!

As a kid, I loved everything about this salty dough. The salt gave it an awesome gritty texture which made it an even better tactile experience than plain old dough. I used to love the feeling of my dry, food color stained hands after we rolled, cut, and sculpted. The best part is that it didn’t have the nasty “Play-doh” smell. It smelled like wet flour. That was OK by me. I hate, hate, hate the smell of “real” Play-doh. I guess I am in the minority on that since they actually make the Play-doh scent as a fragrance:

For real, people?  *Yuck*

These days, recipes for homemade play dough are easy to come by. Pinterest lists a ton with all kinds of variety. Moms add glitter, Kool-Aid, Jell-O, gel food coloring or coloring markers to add some sparkle and vibrant color. The Kool-Aid and Jell-O add fruity scents as well as color, or scented oil or extracts are used to give it a pleasant aroma. I suppose if you are a die hard Play-doh fan, you could even add the fragrance above! There are alternate recipes to make it in a microwave or with no heat at all, and you can even make it gluten free.

Call me old fashioned, but I prefer the simple recipe Nana used. No frills, no high price-tag no fancy cutters or accessories required, just good old imagination, and a couple bored kiddos. So, the next time your little guys are driving you nuts, remember the magic waiting in your kitchen cupboard. 

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