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Homemade & Hands-On Lessons!

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What preschooler doesn’t love to get “hands-on”? Enjoy these fun and frugal recipes together for some old-fashioned learning!


Homemade Play Doh

1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup salt
1/2 cup water
1/2 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
A few drops of food coloring to get the colors/shades you want

Mix all but the last ingredient in a small saucepan. Cook over very low heat until it turns into a dough (it’ll take just a few minutes). Knead the dough on a floured surface until cool enough for kids to touch.

Separate the dough into as many colors as you want to make. Put just a few drops of coloring in each ball, and knead until evenly mixed. Store in ziplock bags or plastic containers and it will keep in the refrigerator for months.


Edible Play Doh

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup powdered milk
1/4 cup flour


Combine all ingredients together in a bowl; mix well. Turn dough out onto a clean surface and knead until smooth.


Kids can easily create whatever their imaginations cook up! Give them some cookie cutters, biscuit cutters, plastic knives, or even a small rolling pin to work with, and place dough on wax paper for simple cleanup. They can decorate with chocolate chips, carrot curls, raisins, and sunflower seeds. It doesn’t matter if they nibble. If the dough gets too soft or sticky after hours of play, place it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.

The Easiest Homemade Finger Paint

2 cups white flour
2 cups cold water
Food coloring


Put water into a large bowl. Slowly add the flour, as the children are stirring the mixture. Pour into separate containers for different colors, and mix in food coloring of your choice.

Enjoy the preschool years; they fly by so quickly!

Biographical Information

Lisa is blessed to be a wife to Marc, Mama to four blessings, and a keeper at home! They live their homestead adventure in the mountains of the Northwest, seeking the trail that the Father has called them to follow "off the beaten path." They operate a family-run business, Homestead Originals. Lisa is the author of the Homestead Simplicity E-Book series. Come on by and visit Lisa’s blog (www.HomesteadOriginals.com/blog).

Copyright, 2011. All rights reserved by author.

Originally appeared in The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, Winter 2010-11.

Used with permission. Visit them at theoldschoolhouse.com and view a sample copy of the magazine.