I have been experimenting with Sunday afternoon programming this month, which is not something that my library has typically done. This one was a success! I held a play dough making workshop for ages 3-8 (and caregivers) and it was so much fun! We used my favorite no-cook recipe. 

Program Rundown: Play Dough Making Workshop for Ages 3-8

• Cost (not including existing supplies): $30 ($10 for ingredients, $18 for four each of mixing bowls, measuring cups/spoons, and rubber scrapers, $2 for baggies)
• Age: Advertised for grades 3-8 plus caregivers, I had that whole age range 
• Length: Advertised at 1 hour, most stayed 35-40 min
• Attendance: 24 (14 were children)

The plan:

1. Everyone settles in at a table, identifies and talks about the different equipment and ingredients.
2. Rules and game plan: Each table will make one batch of play dough. Take turns doing the steps. Wait to hear what the next step is. Keep all of the ingredients and play dough at the tables.
3. Show everyone the recipe. Talk about how recipes are laid out.
4. Start measuring out dry ingredients. Encourage touching the ingredients and describing what they are like.
5. Have each table pick a color. Measure out the wet ingredients.
6. Stir everything together. Pass the bowl around and take turns stirring.
7. Separate the batch into a piece for each person. Knead until it’s not so sticky. Flour hands if needed.
8. Open play time. Hand out bags at the end to take play dough home.

I planned for four tables of 6 kids, because I had 24 registered. 14 actually came, which was a much more manageable number. Each ingredient was divided into four containers, so that I could hand them out but they still got to measure. The exception was the food coloring – I stirred it into each group’s water in a pitcher and poured it into the bowl, because the water was hot and food coloring stains. The dollar store was a great source of cheap bowls, utensils and measuring cups/spoons.

At the end they could play with the results – I had cookie cutters and rolling pins set out at separate tables so that I could start cleaning up while they played. Even on carpet, I didn’t have too many mess problems! I let it dry and then vacuumed.

A few final tips if you use this recipe:

• We only needed 1 cup of water, and did need to knead in a little more flour.
• 1/4 tsp of gel food coloring was just right per batch.
• You can order larger bags of Cream of Tartar online from Amazon and it’s much cheaper than getting those little spice canisters, and easier to work with because you don’t have to open all of the little containers.