Español de México 
What’s in your pantry? Got any cornstarch or flour? How about some salt and food coloring? If so, then you and your child are ready to embark on some fun at-home sensory excitement right in your own kitchen. Many household staples like flour, salt, and oil, are the basic ingredients for easy non-toxic playdough recipes. There is no need to run out to the store to buy playdough! All you need is a mixing bowl, measuring spoons, and time set aside to concoct some mish-mashy-squishy sensory fun at home with your child. The following are some tried and true recipes that are sure to provide hours of creativity and small muscle development with young children. Keep in mind that adult supervision is necessary throughout each recipe, however, children can help gather items, read labels, and measure/pour ingredients.
PLAYDOUGH
1 c. flour
1/2 c. salt
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tbsp. cooking oil
1 c. water (optional: add a few drops of food coloring and mix before adding to dry ingredients)
Put all ingredients in a saucepan, and stir it until it’s smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is a doughy lump and pulls away from the saucepan. Put playdough on wax paper and let it cool a little bit. Then make it into a ball and keep it in a sealed container.
MOONSAND
1 cup of baby oil
8 cups of flour
In a large mixing bowl mix the ingredients together. This recipe can be halved. Store in an airtight container.
LIQUID STARCH SLIME (SILLY PUTTY)
Elmer’s School Glue (must be school glue with the black label)
Liquid starch
Start with a cup of Elmer’s glue in a mixing bowl. Slowly add the liquid starch while stirring at the same time. This recipe is not an exact science. Keep mixing and adding the liquid starch slowly until the mixture is no longer liquidy and has the consistency of stringy taffy. Store in an airtight container.
OOBLECK
16 oz. box of cornstarch
Water
Slowly add small drizzles of water to the cornstarch and mix. Do not add continuously! Oobleck is another recipe that you have to guesstimate until it reaches the correct consistency. The consistency you are aiming for is for the cornstarch to feel firm enough to pick up yet it will “melt” through your fingers. If you end up adding too much water too quickly, just add more cornstarch. Store in an airtight container.
PUFFY PAINT
1 cup salt
1 cup flour
1 cup water
food coloring (add to the 1 cup water and mix)
Plastic squeeze bottles or ziplock bags
Construction paper
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Once well mixed transfer the mixture to squeeze bottles or into a ziplock bag (snip off the corner). Use the puffy paint to decorate construction paper. The paint will dry with a “raised” effect and be shimmery like crystals.
The Parenting Hub would love to hear about other fun pantry activities that you enjoy doing with your young children during at home. Please send your comments to: parentinghub@earlylearninghub.org
OTHER RESOURCES:
Playdough
http://www.cooks.com/recipe/xo5db3wv/playdough.html
How to Make Slime Without Borax
Oobleck
https://sciencebob.com/oobleck-the-corn-starch-and-water-experiment/
Puffy Paint
