Playdough Tip!

I just finished making our strawberry sparkle play-dough for the week and thought I'd share my tip to make sure homemade play-dough is smooth and soft!  I found the recipe for the strawberry sparkle play-dough at the Imagination Tree.  (It smells delicious!  Hope no child tries to sample it tomorrow!) 

No "sparkles" yet!  Tomorrow, the children will help add these!

So, here's my tip:  After making the play-dough according to the directions, I knead the dough until all the ingredients are mixed, then I add a tablespoon or so  add small amounts of of extra virgin olive oil to the top of the play- dough and mix this in- then add a bit more and mix it in, until the dough feels smooth to the touch, but not sticky.  (If, at some point, while playing with the dough it begins to dry out, simply place a few drops of extra virgin olive oil on the dough and re-mix!)

Now, if you want REALLY smooth and silky play-dough, substitute extra virgin olive oil for the vegetable oil.  However, I would rather COOK with the extra virgin olive oil, so I just add a bit after I make the play-dough!  And, of course, also keep the dough covered when the kids aren't playing with it! 
*If you are having difficulty with the dough becoming sticky, please read the playdough tip follow up post.  If your dough is sticky and loses consistencey, you've added too much extra oil.  Don't add too much extra oil all at once- a little extra should do the trick!