How to make plasticine from flour, water and salt, dough, starch and hair conditioner at home

Thanks to a large number of recipes that involve the use of available ingredients, you can quickly and easily make plasticine at home.

Since most often such modeling material is intended for children's creativity, its composition should be as natural as possible, and the creation process should be safe. Knowing various methods, adults will be able to not only find a fascinating hobby for a child, but also increase his perseverance, accuracy, and teach him to appreciate his work and the efforts of others.

Why Homemade Plasticine is Better

Plasticine made at home, like other creative items made independently, has a number of advantages compared to their store counterparts:

• softer and more uniform structure;

• “pliable” consistency (it’s easier for small children to tear off a piece and give it the desired shape);
• safety in use (since most recipes involve the use of natural materials, including dyes, parents do not have to worry if the child bites off a piece or licks his fingers during the sculpting process);
• the ability to independently create the color needed for the craft;
• lower cost of ingredients;
• the opportunity to engage the child not only in the process of modeling itself, but also in preparation for it.

Depending on the child's age, level of development, as well as mental and character characteristics, adults should select an option for preparing working material.

Thermal manufacturing method

The thermal method of making plasticine involves working with high temperatures. This option is not suitable for children under 7-8 years old.

In such circumstances, parents are advised to choose another way of creating the working material or to properly divide the responsibilities with the young assistant (for example, the child mixes the ingredients, the adult bakes and monitors the state of the plasticine inside the oven).

Method of making plasticine	Algorithm of actions
Classic Recipe for Playdough for Kids	Pour 400 ml of warm water into a deep container, then add 1 tbsp of any vegetable oil. If you plan to obtain colored plasticine as a result of the above manipulations, at the initial stage you must also add food coloring of the desired shade to the other ingredients. 2. Mix thoroughly and put on the fire. Bring the mixture to a boil. 3. In a separate dish, mix about 400 g of flour, 1 tbsp. of citric acid and 200 g of salt (fine iodized salt is best for making plasticine). 4. Mix the 2 consistencies thoroughly, making sure that no lumps remain as a result of the described action.
With burnt alum	1. Pour 500 ml of water at room temperature into a deep bowl. 2. Add 100 g of salt to the water (in this case, to make the plasticine as soft and homogeneous as possible, coarse sea salt will do). 3. Place the pan on the fire, gradually increasing the temperature of the mixture. 4. Once you are sure that the salt has completely dissolved in the boiling liquid, turn off the heat and let the mixture cool slightly. 5. After 3-4 minutes, add 2 tbsp. of vegetable oil, 2.5 tbsp. of alum, 400 g of wheat flour and food coloring (optional, if you want to get colored plasticine). 6. Mix all ingredients thoroughly and let the plasticine cool on its own.
Lazy plasticine	Pour 100 ml of water at room temperature into a deep container. Place the pan on the fire and gradually begin to bring the liquid to a boil. After 3-5 minutes, add 100 g of salt to the water (the size and type of grains do not matter). Stir thoroughly until completely dissolved. Add 100 g of wheat flour and food coloring powder to salted water. Stirring the mixture constantly, cook until it begins to harden. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature on its own. If the resulting plasticine does not have a uniform enough consistency for modeling, you need to add a little flour to it.
Gluten free play dough	This type of plasticine does not involve the use of flour in its production. This makes the gluten-free type of material accessible even to children prone to allergic reactions. In a deep container, place 200 g of starch (it is ideal to use corn starch in this case), 300 ml of warm water and food coloring powder (if necessary to obtain colored plasticine) and 400 g of baking soda. Mix the ingredients, place the pan on the fire and begin to gradually increase the heating temperature. As soon as the consistency begins to thicken, remove the container from the heat and let it cool down to room temperature on its own. As the mass cools, it must be constantly “kneaded”, making the future plasticine plastic and homogeneous.

Cold methods

How to make plasticine at home and keep your child busy for a long time without using high temperatures.

Cold production methods are the safest and easiest, but some of them require more ingredients and time spent on the process of creating the material itself.

Cold method of creating plasticine	Description of the stages of the production process
From flour and salt	In a deep container, mix 1.5 cups of water at room temperature and 200 g of salt (it is preferable to use a premium product, the grains of which will be as small as possible). Gradually pour 300 ml of warm water and 2 tbsp of vegetable oil into the dry mixture, stirring continuously. The readiness of the working material is determined strictly by eye, assessing its consistency. If the structure of the plasticine is not uniform, it is recommended to add a little liquid at room temperature. If the product turns out sticky, it should be rolled in flour or starch. From the resulting plasticine, mold a small ball and make several indentations in it. Having assessed the density of the consistency, draw a conclusion about the readiness of the working material for use.
With oatmeal	In a plate, you need to mix 200 g of wheat flour and 210 g of oatmeal (the smaller the flakes, the more convenient it will be to work with the future plasticine). After combining the above ingredients, gradually pour in 300 ml of warm water, stirring continuously until a uniform consistency is obtained. If the plasticine turns out sticky or uneven, it is recommended to roll it in flour, breadcrumbs or wheat bran.
With honey	In a bowl, mix 6 tablespoons of honey and 400 g of peanut butter (the fatter the butter, the faster the plasticine will acquire the consistency necessary for modeling). After thoroughly mixing the main ingredients, gradually add dry skim milk in any amount (the amount is determined by the state of the composition of the plasticine itself. It should be homogeneous, plastic and not stick to your hands). If you need to add color to the working material, add food coloring to the already prepared mass and carefully “knead” the dough by hand.

Edible plasticine

How to make plasticine at home and feed a child who is picky about food can be done with the help of universal ingredients that are suitable not only for creativity, but also for consumption by the baby.

How to make edible plasticine	Description of the stages of the production process
Marshmallow Play Dough	Place 200 g of marshmallows in a deep bowl and microwave for 3 minutes. Stir the melted marshmallow until it becomes a homogeneous mass and let it cool on its own to room temperature. Pour about 100 g of powdered sugar into the liquid marshmallow (the exact amount must be determined by eye - the plasticine should acquire the composition of the classic dough). To give the plasticine the desired shade, add 5-7 drops of liquid food coloring to it, then knead the dough again by hand.
Plasticine from powdered sugar and gelatin	Pour 8 g of gelatin into water and let it sit (the mixture should swell and increase in size). Place 90 g of honey in a saucepan and place on low heat, gradually increasing the heating temperature (the honey must be dissolved, but not brought to a boil). After the honey has completely dissolved, add the swollen gelatin to the bowl. Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Gradually add 500 g of powdered sugar, continuously mixing the future plasticine. Place the finished mixture in a plastic bag and put it in the refrigerator on the top shelf for 10-12 hours.
Plasticine from marshmallows	Break 100 g of marshmallows into small pieces and place them in a deep plate. Place the marshmallows in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. Using a spoon, create a uniform consistency by stirring the softened marshmallow for 1-2 minutes. In a separate bowl, mix 1 tbsp. starch (preferably corn starch) and 2 tbsp. powdered sugar and mix thoroughly. Gradually pour the resulting dry mixture into the melted marshmallow. As a result of this action, the plasticine should stop being sticky. If desired, add a few drops of liquid food coloring to give the resulting plasticine the desired color.

With citric acid

Stages of creating plasticine:

• Mix in a deep container with a non-stick coating 200 g of wheat flour, ½ tbsp. of salt (it is best to take salt in small grains), 2 tsp. of citric acid and, if necessary, to obtain colored plasticine, a few pinches of food coloring powder.
• Mix the dry mixture thoroughly and pour in 1 tbsp of vegetable oil.

• Place the resulting mixture on low heat, gradually increasing the heating temperature and stirring it continuously with a fork.
• Slowly pour in 100 ml of water at room temperature and knead the plasticine until smooth.
• Remove from heat, let cool to room temperature, then place in a plastic bag and refrigerate for 10-12 hours.

From starch and hair conditioner

How to make plasticine at home, and introduce your child to new compositions and personal hygiene items, you can do this by using starch and regular hair conditioner:

• Pour 200 g of potato or corn starch into a plate and add 50 ml of hair conditioner (if you don’t have conditioner, you can use shampoo, but keep in mind that the proportions will also change).
• Mix the main ingredients and let the plasticine sit for 1-2 hours.

From shaving foam

Step by step process:

• Squeeze 3-4 tablespoons of shaving foam into a deep container (it is advisable to use the mass tamped in a tube, and not mousse compositions).
• Add a few drops of food coloring (if you don't have food coloring, you can change the color of the plasticine using regular watercolors or gouache, added to the foam at the initial stage of the production process).

• Gradually add 200 g of potato or corn starch, stirring the mixture continuously.
• Place the plasticine on the table and add 0.5 tsp of vegetable oil to obtain a more homogeneous and plastic mass.

From PVA and starch

Stages of work:

• Pour 100 g of potato or corn starch into a small plastic bag.
• Add a few drops of food coloring and stir until the color is thick.
• Pour ¼ cup of PVA glue into the starch and stir, shaking the bag vigorously.

• After a homogeneous lump has formed, place the plasticine on the table and wait until the excess liquid drains off.
• If the mixture sticks to your hands too much, it is recommended to roll it in a small amount of flour or breading mixture.

From PVA and soda

Sequence of actions:

• Pour 50 ml of PVA glue into a liter glass jar and, if necessary, add a few drops of food coloring of the desired color.
• Gradually add 2 tablespoons of baking soda, stirring the mixture continuously.
• After 2-3 minutes of constant stirring, place the plasticine in a plastic bag and knead it with vigorous hand movements.

• The finished material should look like a homogeneous lump, resistant to external influences.
• If the mixture turns out to be liquid, it is permissible to add a small amount of flour or starch (corn or potato).

From corn starch

The following steps must be completed:

• Pour 200 ml of slightly warmed water into a deep plate.
• Gradually pour 400 g of corn starch into the bowl and mix the main ingredients thoroughly.
• If necessary, add a few pinches of food coloring (considering that the consistency of such plasticine will be more liquid in comparison with its analogues, it is recommended to color the composition with powdered food colorings).
• Roll the resulting plasticine in flour or powdered sugar.

With washing powder

How to make plasticine at home, and visually introduce your child to household items that can pose a health hazard if ingested, can be used in the creation of washing powder:

• Pour 50 ml of PVA glue into a plastic container.
• Add 5 tablespoons of washing powder to the bowl.

• Mix the main ingredients thoroughly and let the mixture sit for at least 4-5 hours.
• If necessary, the gel-like play dough can be rolled in flour and mixed with a few pinches of powdered food coloring.

From detergents

Stages of work:

• Place 50 g of baking powder and 100 g of baking soda in a bowl.
• Gradually pour 100 ml of gel-like dishwashing detergent into the mixed dry ingredients (it is recommended to use products approved by pediatricians due to their low toxicity).

• Knead the resulting mixture with your hands to break up all the lumps that formed earlier.
• If the mixture turns out to be liquid, you need to add a small amount of baking powder.

Based on jelly

Sequence of steps:

• Pour 200 ml of PVA glue into a plastic container.
• In a separate container, dissolve food coloring in water and mix with glue.
• Pour 3 bottles of sodium tetraborate (4% composition) into the resulting composition. Stir.

• Using a wooden stick, bring the consistency to maximum homogeneity and, after placing the plasticine in a plastic bag, put it in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
• Jelly-based plasticine should stick to your hands moderately, but at the same time not tear, but stretch.

Based on wallpaper glue

Procedure:

• Pour 100 g of dry wallpaper glue into a deep container.
• Add 200 ml of warm water and mix the main ingredients thoroughly.
• Add 3-5 drops of liquid dye. Stir.
• Pour in 50 ml of regular PVA office glue.
• Add 3 drops of sodium tetraborate and then mix thoroughly.
• Let the mixture sit for an hour (during this time, it is advisable to place the future plasticine in a dry, dark place to minimize the impact of external circumstances on the reaction taking place in the container).

Homemade Plasticine That Glows in the Dark

To obtain a plastic mass it is necessary:

• Crush 2 vitamin B tablets as much as possible.
• Mix it with 400 g of wheat flour, 150 g of iodized salt and 4 tsp of cream of tartar.
• Pour 400 ml of warm water and 2 tbsp of vegetable oil into the main ingredients. Mix thoroughly.

• Place the resulting mass on the fire and, stirring continuously, cook for 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature on its own.
• Check the properties of plasticine by turning off the light and turning on an ultraviolet lamp.

Regardless of the type of production, plasticine prepared at home together with a child will be of particular value to a growing person.

With its help, you can both develop your creative potential and learn to be neat and strictly follow the instructions provided. To maximize the child's enthusiasm for the process, you can offer him to independently choose the method by which he will create working material for further crafts.

Article formatting:Natalie Podolskaya

Video about making homemade plasticine

How to make plasticine at home - watch the video: