Bad weather doesn't mean the end of family fun activities. Check out these rainy day recipes with household items as ingredients. Whether you're looking for toddler crafts or activities for preschoolers, there's fun for everyone.
Finger Paints
½ cup cornstarch
1 package unflavored gelatin
food coloring
water
In a bowl, mix ¾ cup cold water with the cornstarch to make a paste. Soak the gelatin in ¼ cup cold water; set aside. In a saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to boil and add the cornstarch mixture slowly to it. Stir well. Cook, stirring constantly over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil and clears. Remove from heat and stir in the gelatin. Cool and divide into several containers such as recycled peanut butter, jelly or spaghetti sauce jars. Add food coloring and blend.
Puffy Paint
Flour
Salt
Water
Tempera paint
Freezer bags
Heavy paper or cardboard
Mix equal parts of flour, salt and water in a bowl. Add a small amount of tempera paint to the mixture and pour into a small plastic freezer bag; snip one corner. Repeat procedure making as many colors as you want. Squeeze onto heavy paper or cardboard to make designs. Mixture will harden into puffy shapes.
Goop
Elmer’s glue
Liquid starch
Mix 2 parts Elmer’s Glue with 1 part liquid starch. Add food coloring if desired. Mix well in a cup using a craft stick first. It will be stringy! If it continues to stick in your hand, add a little more liquid starch. The mixture will eventually be able to be handled without sticking. It will be solid and will bounce!
Clean Mud
6 rolls bathroom toilet paper
2 bars Ivory soap
Borax
Unroll 6 rolls of white bathroom tissue paper into a large container; give this task to your kids to keep them busy for several minutes! Generously add water until covered completely. Grate 2 bars of Ivory soap into mixture and add 1 ½ c of Borax. Mix up well and have fun!
Soap Crayons
Ivory Snow
Water
Food coloring
Mix 2 parts Ivory Snow powder with 1 part water until thick and creamy. Add food coloring or tempera for color. Pour into ice cube trays, molds or cookie cutters. Allow to harden, then use as crayons.
Play Dough
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon cream of tarter (found in spice aisle of grocery store)
Food coloring
2 cups water
Mix food coloring with 2 cups of water until desired shade is reached. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, oil and cream of tarter. Add colored water to dry ingredients and mix. Cook mixture over medium heat until spongy. Let cool. Store in an airtight container.
Chocolate Play Dough
1 ¼ cups flour
½ cup cocoa powder
½ cup salt
½ tablespoon cream of tarter
1 ½ tablespoons oil
1 cup boiling water
Mix the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa power, salt, cream of tarter). Then add the oil and water. Stir quickly and mix well. (You may have to add a little extra water to get to the right consistency.)
Edible Peanut Butter Play Dough
½ cup peanut butter
½ cup honey
1 cup powdered milk
Knead until smooth. NOTE: Not appropriate for babies under 12 months due to allergy and safety concerns.
Bakeable Salt Clay
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 to 1 ½ cups cold water
2 tablespoons cooking oil
Knead together all ingredients well until dough forms a soft ball. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil, make the shapes you want and bake in the oven at 300 degrees or until hard. Once dry, paint objects or color with markers.
Karen Woodman is the family literacy manager for Capital Area Community Services Head Start.