Getting crafty at Christmas: Dough you know what I know?

Get creative with the kids this holiday season, all the while incorporating lessons about math and science! The following recipes yield batches of playing or shaping dough, easy to create and store.

Recipes are found in the cookbook, “‘Candles’ at Dinner,” a compilation of recipes from Carpenters Chapel United Methodist Church of Prairieville, Louisiana.

Please note, these recipes are NOT for consumption!

Baker’s clay

4 cups white flour

1 ½ cups water

1 cup salt

Paste food coloring (optional)

Mix dry ingredients into bowl until well blended and smooth. Add ½ cup water, mixing for a few minutes, then slowly add the remaining water while turning dough in the bowl.

Gather dough into a ball, working in any dry flour or salt left at the bottom of bowl.

Knead dough for about 5 minutes, then shape as desired.

Place on foil-lined cookie sheet, and bake at 250 to 300 degree oven until hard – about five minutes for 1- to 2-inch pieces.

When baked dough is completely cooled, paint with acrylics, then brush or spray on a finishing coat of liquid glaze or polyurethane varnish to seal.

No-cook play dough

1 cup salt

1 tablespoon salad oil

1 cup flour

water

food coloring

Mix dry ingredients, add oil. Add food coloring to water, then slowly add to oil mixture, until you reach desired consistency.

Soap crayons

2 tablespoons water

Ivory soap flakes

food coloring

Pour water into measuring cup; fill rest of cup to top with soap flakes. Mix well – no lumps! Add 30-40 drops of food coloring.

Press mixture into old ice tray or fun molds. Place in warm, dry place for 1 to 2 days until soap paste gets hard.