Messy Play Recipes

MESSY PLAY RECIPES FOR CHILDREN Play is a vital tool in helping children to learn; and most youngsters love using their imagination and getting their hands dirty by creating things out of sand, paint and glue. These simple recipes are easy to follow and give parents, playworkers and teachers everything they need for perfect messy play days. WHAT YOU'LL NEED PLAYDOUGH 2 cups of plain flour 2 cups of warm water 1 cup of salt 2 tbsp of vegetable oil 1 tbsp of tartar (optional) Food colouring Mixing bowl Saucepan HOW TO MAKE IT Mix all the ingredients together and stir over a low heat. The dough will begin to thicken and resemble mashed potato. When the dough pulls away from the sides and clumps in the centre, remove the pan from the heat and allow the dough to cool. If the dough is still sticky, you simply need to cook it longer. Keep stirring and cooking until the dough is dry. SLIME WHAT YOU'LL NEED 1/4 of cup water 1/4 of cup white PVA glue 1/4 cup of liquid starch Food colouring Mixing bowl HOW TO MAKE IT Pour all the glue into a mixing bowl, add water and stir together. Add 6 drops of food colouring to the mixture, then add the liquid starch and stir in. As the slime gets molded and manipulated, it will become increasingly stretchy. Once your slime reaches this consistency, it's ready to go. WHAT YOU'LL NEED MOON SAND 5 cups of play sand 3 cups of plain flour 1 cup of vegetable oil Mixing bowl HOW TO MAKE IT Pour the sand and flour into a mixing bowl and stir until combined. While stirring, pour in the vegetable oil until the mixture turns to a crumbly pastry consistency. The mixture should feel slightly damp, but not wet, and you should be able to form a ball with it. You can also add a tablespoon of coloured powder paint into the sand and flour if you would like to add a splash of colour to your moon paint. RAINBOW FOAM WHAT YOU'LL NEED 2 tbsp of washing-up liquid 1/4 cup of bottled still water Electric mixer Food colouring Mixing bowl HOW TO MAKE IT Add the washing-up liquid, food colouring and water into a bowl. Next, use an electric mixer on the the highest possible setting for 1-2 minutes. Your foam should be able to form stiff peaks that hold their shape. Scoop it out into your container and repeat as necessary until you have the desired amount of foam. WHAT YOU'LL NEED RUBBERY PLASTIC 4 oz of milk 1 tsp of vinegar Mixing bowl HOW TO MAKE IT Put the milk in a pan and heat it on the stove until it curdles. This happens when the milk begins to form lumps. Next, slowly pour off the runny liquid and place the lumps in a jar along with the vinegar. After letting it stand for an hour, you'll notice the milk has turned into rubber. Finally, you can shape the lump into a ball or some other simple shapes. Try adding a few drops of food colouring to give it a colourful edge. SALT DOUGH WHAT YOU'LL NEED 1 cup of fine salt 1 cup of plain flour 1/2 cup of water Mixing bowl HOW TO MAKE IT In a large bowl, combine the salt and the flour. Once mixed, make a well in the dough and add the water. Knead until smooth and shape into a ball. When not in use, wrap in plastic or store in an airtight container. WHAT YOU'LL NEED SIDEWALK CHALK Toilet paper tubes Scissors Plaster spoon Duct tape Waxed paper 3/4 of a cup warm water 11/2 cups of Plaster of Paris 2- 3 tbsp of tempera paint Baking dish Paper bag HOW TO MAKE IT Cover one end of the toilet paper tube with duct tape and cut a piece of waxed paper to a size of roughly 6 x 6 inches. Roll up the waxed paper and loosely insert it into the tube to create a lining. This lining will keep the chalk mixture from sticking to the cardboard and will eventually be peeled off. Pour the warm water into your container and sprinkle the Plaster of Paris over the water while stirring with a plaster spoon. It will begin to harden within 20-30 minutes, so you'll need to work quickly. Next, pour the tempera paint into the Plaster of Paris mixture and stir until it is mixed thoroughly. With the tape side down, stand each tube on a flat baking dish for easy transportation. Pour the coloured Plaster of Paris mixture into the waxed paper-lined tubes and lightly tap the sides of the tubes to release all of the bubbles. Repeat this process using different paint colours to create a variety of coloured chalk. Wait 3 days for the chalk to harden, then peel off the duct tape so that the underside can dry. When the chalk is dry, peel off the paper tubes and waxed paper. Please note that final creations may appear different to the images shown in this graphic HOPE Hope Education supplies a wide variety of resources that inspire and educate children across every area of the revised curriculum. EDUCATION www.hope-education.co.uk Inspire Create - Educate