I remember homemade clay when I was a kid.Does anyone know how to make it?

Question

This was a rainy day thing my mother did years ago. I just remember her pouring a whole box of salt in a big bowl and then adding other things. My sister and I would divide it into four big balls and color each with a different food color. This would keep us busy for hours.I would love to do this with my grandchildren. Does anyone know what else was in it? Thanks!

Answer 1

My Mom used to make this for me all the time, and I got to dye it myself!

Fun You Can Make at Home

Rubbery Playdough
2 cups baking soda
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup cornstarch

Mix with a fork until smooth. Boil over medium heat until thick. Spoon onto plate or wax paper.

Nature's Playdough

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1 cup water
2 T oil
2 T cream of tartar
beet, spinach, and carrot juice

Mix flour, salt and oil, and slowly add the water. Cook over medium heat, stirring until dough becomes stiff. Turn out onto wax paper and let cool. Knead the dough with your hands until of proper consistency. Use as is, or divide into balls and add a few drops of the vegetable juices to make green, pink, and orange.

Play dough

4 cups flour
1/4 cup powdered tempera
1/4 cup salt
1 1/2 cups water
1 T oil

Mix together flour, powdered paint and salt.

Alum Play Dough

2 cups flour
1 cup salt
2 T alum
1 cup water
2 T oil
liquid food coloring

Pour dry ingredients into large pan. Stir together to mix. Stir oil and food coloring into the water. Pour liquid into the dry ingredients while mixing, squeezing and kneading the dough. If too sticky, add more flour. Keeps best in the fridge.

Just like the REAL Playdough (so they say)

1 cup flour
1 cup water
1 T oil
1 T powdered alum
1/2 cup salt
2 T vanilla
food coloring

Mix all dry ingredients. Add oil and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until reaching the consistency of mashed potatoes. Remove from heat and add vanilla and food coloring. Divide into balls and work in color by kneading.

Oatmeal Dough

1 C. Flour
2. C. Oatmeal
1 C. Water

Gradually add water to flour and oatmeal in bowl. Kneed until mixed (this dough is sticky, but unique in texture.) Model as with clay.

VARIATIONS: Add cornmeal or coffee grounds in small quantity for texture.

Nutty Butter Playdough

1 C. Peanut butter
1 C. Powdered Milk
1 C. Honey
1 C. Oatmeal

Mix together and play and/or eat.

Kool-Aid Play Dough

2 1/2 to 3 cups flour
2 cups boiling water with 1 pkg. Kool-aid (any flavor)
3 T corn oil
1/2 cup salt
1 T alum

Mix ingredients and knead with flour (may take up to 1 extra cup). Use more if the dough draws moisture in high humidity. Keeps well, has a nice fragrance and is very colorful and very flexible.

Answer 2

Homemade clays can be made from *all sorts* of things... it looks like your mom may one variation of "salt dough" but be aware that salt can kind of sting.

In addition to some of the other grain-based clays already mentioned, here's a recipe for "bread clay" --may be a bit more trouble to make up, but it's much better for details, workability, and durability:

BREAD CLAY:
6 slices white bread
6 tbsps. white glue
1/2 tsp. detergent (liquid?, clothes or dishes?)... or 2 tsp. glycerine
food coloring
Remove crusts from bread, and knead with glue.
Add either detergent or glycerine.... knead until no longer sticky.
Separate into portions and add food coloring if desired.
Shape.
Brush with equal parts of white glue and water if you want a glossy finish.
Allow to dry overnight to harden.
Paint with acrylic paint if you want as well, or if you didn't color the doughs.
Can also seal at this point with clear nail polish
.... or seal with white glue (or yellow wood glue)... starting out with a light coat... let dry... then use a heavier coat



Diane B.

Answer 3

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3 c Flour
1 1/2 c Salt
3 tbsp Oil
1 c Water
1 tbsp Food coloring

Mix all ingredients in a big bowl. May be seperated into 4 to make 4 different
colors.


I enjoy doing this with my kids....

Answer 4

mostly flour with a little each of salt, water and oil (and food colouring too!)