Cheap Take-Home Clay

From Family Fun February 2001

If you just can’t resist sending something home with the kids, give them each some thematic play clay.  In fall, make it an orange pumpkin.  In winter, a white snowball.  In February, a red heart.

Make the clay, put it in a plastic bag with a ribbon on it or simply a Ziploc  bag.

Recipe:

3 cups white flour

1 ½ cups salt

1 ½ Tbsp cream of tartar

3 ¼ cups water

6 Tbsp vegetable oil

food coloring if desired

Mix the flour, salt, and cream of tartar in a medium saucepan.  In a separate bowl, mix the liquids, adding drops of food coloring and stir.  Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture holds together and gets too stiff to stir (it will stiffen even more as it cools), about 5 to 10 minutes.  Let it cool.

Knead the clay briefly, then roll or pat it to a ¾-inch thickness and cut with a cookie cutter to desired shape.

This makes about 25 hearts.  If you need more, make it in separate batches because a bigger batch would be unwieldy.