Making your own Play-Doh Crayon Craft is a fun, easy activity that keeps kids entertained for hours. All you need are some red crayons (or any color you prefer) and simple ingredients. This is the perfect craft for kids who would like to use up those broken crayons!

Playdough crafts offer a wide range of benefits, especially for children and adults. These creative activities provide entertainment and opportunities for learning and development. Here, we’ll show you how to make Red Play-Doh using crayons and a few other household items. Let’s get started!

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Playdough Crayon Craft

Fun Fact: Did you know that September 16th is National Play-Doh Day? This Play-Doh crayon recipe would be the perfect recipe to make with your kids to celebrate National Play-Doh Day. There are so many Crayola colors you could use to make many different colors of play dough – all of the colors of the rainbow!

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The first step is to gather your supplies. You will need:

NOTE: These are the ingredients for ONE batch of playdough. To make additional playdough, repeat the recipe for each color.

1 tablespoon cream of tartar

1 ½ cup flour

1 cup water

¾ cup salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 red broken crayons, coarsely chopped (or any color you choose)

A pot or container to melt the crayons

How to Make a Playdough Crayon Craft:

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In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, cream of tartar, and salt. Stir in water, vegetable oil, and food coloring.

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Add the oil and crayons to a medium, nonstick pot. Place the pot containing the crayons on a stovetop and set to medium-low heat. Slowly, the crayons will begin to melt. Stir constantly until the crayons are melted. Once fully melted, remove the pot or container from the heat and stir until the crayons are fully blended.

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Add the water to the pot. Expect the wax to separate from the water, but continue to stir, adding the dry ingredients to the pot.

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Now it’s time to pour your molten Play-Doh onto the surface of your choice. We recommend using waxed, freezer, or parchment paper, which will make cleanup a breeze. Once you have poured out all of the Play-Doh, while the dough is still warm but cool to the touch, knead the dough until smooth, for about 2 minutes.

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Next, shape it into balls (or whatever shape you prefer) and allow it to cool and harden for several hours. And that’s it! You now have your own homemade Play-Doh, ready to be played with repeatedly.

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Homemade DIY Crayon Playdough

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two months or at room temperature for three days.

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What are the Benefits of Playdough Crafts?

Incorporating playdough into early childhood education is an engaging way to promote learning in a hands-on, interactive manner. This article is about using Playdough as a learning tool because Playdough encourages creativity and allows for experimentation, which encourages fine motor skills.

Enhanced Fine Motor Skills: Manipulating and shaping playdough can help develop fine motor skills, such as hand-eye coordination and finger strength. This is particularly beneficial for young children who are still developing their dexterity.

Creativity and Imagination: Playdough is a versatile medium that encourages creativity and imaginative play. Children can sculpt, mold, and create various objects, fostering their creative thinking.

Sensory Stimulation: Playdough crafts engage the senses, including touch, sight, and sometimes even smell (with scented playdough). Sensory play can be calming and enjoyable for individuals of all ages.

Problem-Solving Skills: Children may encounter challenges and problem-solving opportunities while working with playdough, such as figuring out how to make a specific shape or structure.

Language Development: Playdough activities can promote language development as children describe their creations, explain their thought processes, and converse with others during play.

Math Skills: Children can learn basic math concepts such as measurement, volume, and geometry by manipulating playdough and creating shapes or quantities.

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Hand Strength and Coordination: Squeezing, rolling, and shaping playdough help build hand and finger strength and improve hand-eye coordination.

Stress Relief: Working with playdough can be soothing and stress-relieving for both children and adults. It allows for sensory exploration and relaxation.

Artistic Expression: Playdough crafts provide an outlet for artistic expression. Children can experiment with colors, textures, and forms to create unique art pieces.

Social Interaction: Playdough is often used in group settings, encouraging social interaction, cooperation, and sharing among children. It promotes teamwork and communication.

Therapeutic Benefits: Playdough is used in various therapeutic settings, such as occupational therapy, to help individuals with sensory processing difficulties, fine motor challenges, and stress-related issues.

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Learning About Textures: Playdough offers opportunities to explore and understand different textures and sensations, which can be especially valuable for young children.

Tactile Sensitivity: Playdough can help children with tactile sensitivities or sensory processing disorders become more comfortable with different textures.

Cognitive Development: Manipulating playdough and using it in various ways can promote cognitive development, including memory, problem-solving, and spatial reasoning. Making a DIY Crayon craft recipe with your kids will encourage creative learning and development.

This is a fun, creative, and easy craft that can be done with preschoolers, pre-k, kindergarten, or grade schoolers. Every kid loves crayons and playdough, so combining the two would make this a special playdough craft!

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Playdough crafts are a versatile and beneficial for different ages and developmental stages. They promote learning, creativity, and sensory engagement while offering an enjoyable and relaxing experience.