How to Occupy Toddler and Daddy

I came home from teaching today and all Ava wanted was "Bup, bup, bup" (up, up, up). I held her for as long as I could (she is heavy), but I needed to get some things done. I set Ava up with her crayons and paper, but she scribbled on the wall instead. I remembered seeing a recipe for homemade playdough in one of my cookbooks, so I decided to give that a try. It was magical. Ava sat at the table and made cookies and snakes and even tried feeding some to Hank and to herself. Ava and Daddy played long enough for me to change my clothes, do some laundry, check email, and read a few blogs.


Playdough Recipe:

3 c. flour
1 1/2 c. salt
6 t. cream of tartar
3 1/4 c. water
3 T. vegetable oil

Whisk dry ingredients into a large pot. Whisk in wet ingredients. Cook on high 3-4 minutes until dough forms. Separate into portions and add food coloring if desired.

Note: This makes a huge batch. I only made half and we have plenty. I like this recipe because it is totally non-toxic. Your kids can eat it, but they won't take more than one bite!

Ava takes her first and only bite of playdough.