Confetti Playdough

We made this colorful play dough in our class using our regular flour based play dough recipe and then blending it with bits of bleeding tissue paper for a fun, tactile, sensory and scientific center.

First make the play dough and do not add color.  Our recipe is:

Mix together:
3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups salt
3 Tablespoons Cream of tartar
3 cups water
3 T oil

Heat in a non stick skillet until mixture resembles scrambled eggs.  Then turn on to surface and knead until it becomes play dough consistency.

We made four batches over two days because young children need a LOT of play dough!!!

On the third day, we set out the off-white colored balls of play dough with scraps of bleeding tissue paper.

The children stuck the bits of tissue into the play dough and worked them in to the dough.  It was interesting to watch the various strategies of the students as they added the paper.  Some poked each bit in, others layered several pieces in a lump.

As the process continued the dough became filled with confetti. As the dough was continually kneading and handled it became a range of the colors of the tissue; blues, pinks, purples.

On the fifth day, we added rolling pins to flatten the dough and get even more bits into the inside.

The children really enjoyed the activity and often compared and contrasted different ball of dough to see how they were similar and different and to which ones they wanted to add more color.  We all greatly enjoyed this new twist on play dough, and what better way to celebrate the beginning of the year than with confetti!