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How to Make Playdough Recipe Without Cream of Tartar

Does your toddler like to play with play-dough but try to eat it? Then try this easy toddler-safe Playdough Recipe Without Cream of Tartar.

Within minutes you are able to create your own playdough which is safe to eat!

Let’s get right into it.

toddler-safe play dough recipe without cream of tartar

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Homemade Play Dough Recipe Without Cream of Tartar

I used to buy play dough in the store. Why not? It was cheap and saved me time.
Especially as a mom of a toddler time is very valuable so why make it myself I thought, till my child tried to eat it constantly.

Playing play dough is so much fun and comes with a lot of benefits. The only downside is when your toddler tries to eat it non-stop. Then it turns fast in a hustle, especially with factory-made, not-safe-to-eat playdough.

That’s when I started looking into homemade playdough recipes. I did some research and found many different recipes for play dough.

For three reasons I settled on this playdough recipe without cream of tartar

  1. This recipe is not only easy but also fast to make.
  2. It is easy to customize.
  3. I didn’t want to buy cream of tartar in bulk. (That’s all that is available where I live.)
  4. Cream of tartar comes with side effects.

Side Effects of Cream of Tartar

So it is not only that I don’t want to buy cream of tartar in bulk but also comes with certain side effects such as:

  • risk of hyperkalemia
  • abdominal discomfort
  • abnormal heart rate
  • muscle weakness 

Those are only a couple of them. To learn more about the cream of tartar and its side effects take a look at the following link.

But let’s have a look now at what you will need to make for this great toddler-safe playdough recipe:

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Is Playdough safe for 2-year-olds?

You might wonder if playdough is toxic or if is it playdough safe for my 2-year-old.

Most small children explore things with their mouths, so it is just natural that they try to do the same with playdough. But is it safe?
First of all, playdough is not meant to be eaten but most versions are nontoxic and should not be harmful in small quantities.

Nevertheless, it is always better to be cautious and teach your child from the beginning that playdough doesn’t go in their mouth. This also counts for our playdough recipe without cream of tartar!

When my son was this little I always supervised him while playing with playdough. Even though our homemade playdough recipe is taste-safe there is always a choking hazard.

Read more about these facts and learn if playdough is edible here.

How to Make Playdough Without Cream of Tartar

Playdough Recipe Without Cream of Tartar Ingredients

Playdough Recipe Instructions

These step-by-step instructions are here to help you visualize how to make playdough without cream of tartar. Please scroll down to simply print them out!

Step 1: Boil Water

Boil your water on the stove or in a water boiler.

Step 2: Prepare the Ingredients

Add flour, salt, vegetable oil, and boiling water in a large mixing bowl and stir them together with a big cooking spoon.

Continue till it gets too hard to stir and the texture starts to form into a ball.

ingredience play-dough recipe

Step 3: Make Your Dough

Then it is time to knead the dough with your hands.

homemade play-dough without cream of tartar

Step 4: Add food coloring

When the dough has the preferred texture, add some food coloring and knead it in.
Instead of food coloring, you can also use Kool-Aid or add scents to it.

add food coloring to your playdough recipe without cream of tartar

Step 5: Play Time

Now the dough is ready and your kids can start playing.

toddler-safe playdough recipe without cream of tartar

Did your toddler enjoy their own DIY play dough? Then try these Best Playdough Tools with it our popular Moon Dough, or Colored Rice Recipe next. It’s perfect for more sensory play!

Homemade Play Dough Recipe Tips

  • Two of my kids are bigger now but they still love making their own play dough. They see it as a kitchen experiment.
    So consider that this play dough recipe without cream of tartar is not only another thing on your to-do list but also can be used as a family project to spend quality time with your older children. They are eager to help.
  • Using additional scents to your dough is pretty neat. We love adding lavender for calming or seasonal scents during the fall or winter months. It simply makes it more interesting and switches things up.

How to Store Play Dough?

Since your self-made play-doh does not come with storage containers you can either use zip log bags, airtight containers, or recycled store-bought playdoh containers.

Simply use what you already have in your house. As long it is airtight it will not try out.

How Long Does Homemade Play Dough Last?

Our playdough without cream of tartar can last for up to 3 months if you store it correctly.

But let’s face it. It might stay soft for a long time, but will it still be clean? My kids can be messy, drop their play dough, crumbs and other dirt get in it, and so will germs. Therefore when I see it got too used and dirty, I simply make a new patch more often.

Best Playdough Tools

Do you have already some fun playdough tools at home? Here are four fantastic playdough tool recommendations:

To see the full list of our Best Playdough Tools recommendations have a look here.

Pin this No Cream of Tartar Play Dough Recipe

Don’t forget to save this easy playdough recipe without cream of tartar on Pinterest for later! Be sure you are following along with Lil Tigers.

Now I would like to hear from you! How did you like this playdough recipe without cream of tartar? Did your kids enjoy playing with it?
Either way, let me know by leaving a comment below right now. I’d love to hear from you!

Play Dough Recipe Without Cream Of Tartar

DIY toddler safe play-dough recipe

Learn how to make your own homemade playdough without cream of tartar.

Prep Time 2 minutes
Active Time 5 minutes
Total Time 2 minutes
Difficulty easy

Materials

  • 1 cup of all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup of salt
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • ½ cup of boiling water
  • food coloring
  • scents

Tools

  • wooden spoon
  • large mixing bowl

Instructions

  1. Boil water.
  2. Mix the flour, salt, vegetable oil, and boiling water with a cooking spoon till it forms a ball
  3. Then finish kneading the dough with your hands.
  4. Add drops of food coloring and keep folding it in.
  5. Now the dough is ready and your kids can start playing

Are you a visual learner? Check out this video of how to make playdough without cream of tarter!

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