Q&A for How to Make Play Dough

Store your play dough in an air tight container to keep it longer.

Homemade play dough usually last for about a week before it starts to get hard. Keep it in a sealed, airtight container to make it last as long as possible.

Stretch it out and apply lotion in the middle. Keep folding it until all the lotion is absorbed. This should give it the consistency of slime.

Adding water and kneading works. For more detail, check out this article .

No, putting it in the refrigerator might make it drier or flaky. Store it in an air tight container at room temperature.

No, you don't need glitter. Adding glitter is optional, as it can make play dough more interesting for kids.

It can last for several months or years, as long as it is kept in an air-tight container.

Nope! It's optional, though recommended. Play Dough made without it will be a little less stretchy.

Yes, it is possible to make rainbow Play Dough by using different types of food coloring.

Of course yes! You could make multi colored play dough, so that you could make different objects of different colors.

You don't have to, but it will just be the color of ordinary dough if you don't. The purpose of using food coloring is to get different colors.

Any cheap all-purpose flour will do.

Olive oil should work fine too.

No, but here is an easy no-cook recipe using just water, salt, and flour. Take 1/4 cup of flour and 1/8 cup of salt and thoroughly combine in a small bowl with a fork. If you want to color the mixture, use a separate bowl to combine 1/8 cup of water and a few drops of acrylic paint or food coloring. Combine the water and flour/salt mixture. Stir with a fork until consistency becomes too thick to stir, than knead with your hands. There may be a bit of leftover flour/salt mix. If your mixture is too dry add in more water 1 tsp at a time. If the mixture is too wet, add more flour. Finished consistency should be similar to Play-Doh. Acrylic paint will not stain, but food coloring might, so use caution around light fabrics.

You could try, but it might make it watery. You may want to experiment with less water if you use lemon juice.

Yes, you can as it shouldn't harm the recipe.

Yes! Glitter makes it more interesting, but it is optional. Glitter is often difficult to clean up, which is one reason you might leave it out of your play dough recipe.

Yes, but it will be inedible. It will also turn out to be a little stickier.

Yes. The salt keeps people from trying to eat it.

You keep your play dough in the airtight container only when you're not using it, as a way to store it and prevent it from becoming dry and hard more quickly.

You need flour to make play dough.

No. It just helps it to be more stretchy and gives your slime a better consistency.

No, this is the simplest way to make the dough.

Yes! If you put this into a balloon, it would work perfectly as a stress ball!

Yes, you can, but the jewelry will be delicate.

You can, as it is non-toxic, but it doesn't taste good and isn’t good for your health.

Once it has been mixed in well, it won't stain, but you should be careful when incorporating it into the play dough.

No, it won't be stretchy.

Cook the mixture over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. However, if you find that your stove heats up fast, you may need to only cook it for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

No, I think that would stain both your hands and your clothing as well. A better alternative would be food coloring.