HOW TO MAKE COOKED PLAYDOUGH
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2 CUPS FLOUR
1 CUP SALT
4 TSP.CREAM OF TARTAR
2 TBSP. OIL (vegetable)
2 CUPS WATER
FOOD COLOURING
Measure dry ingredients into a sauce pan. Combine oil, water and food colouring. Mix well into dry ingredients to avoid lumps using an electric mixer, place the pan over medium heat cook 6-10 minutes. Until it's no longer sticky to the touch. Remove from the heat onto wax paper and knead 10 times as soon as it's cool enough to be handled.                             
Playdough is a great teaching aid and is found in nearly every nursery school. Children really love it's gooey texture and will often spend long periods of time working with it.

Food Colouring added to playdough adds variety as well as teaching colour awareness. Kneading the dough helps to build small muscle control.

Playdough is very self-satisfying to children as they are able to use their imaginations to create all sorts of original sculptures. Because of it's pliancy they can easily correct mistakes and simply start all over again.

With playdough you can use just about anything, such as small rolling pins, cookie cutters, corks, buttons, straws, macaroni, bottle caps, foam chips, cardboard pieces, and plastic utensils - whatever it is you can be sure that they'll be creative with it.

Playdough can also be used to learn number skills by having your child count the playdough pieces in front of them. Vocabulary is increased as you discuss with your child the various things they have created. Children can also learn the parts of the body when they create play dough people. Playdough is very easy to use in the home.

You can either buy playdough from the store which is fairly expensive .. or you can make it yourself. If you use the homemade playdough.. when your child wants to "play eat" the things they've made you can be sure the material is right out of your kitchen and is harmless. It'll be very salty tasting so you don't have to worry about them eating very much. :o)