Today I’d like to share how you can make magic play dough! This is a great little gift to give your students on the first day of school.
First you’ll need to make a batch of play dough. I have an amazing no-cook recipe which I use all the time! Just mix all the dry ingredients together and then add the wet ingredients. Turn it out on the bench, knead then you’re done!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of flour
- 1/2 cup of salt
- 1 tbsp cream of tartar
- 1 tbsp of oil
- 1 cup boiling water
Next you’ll need to split the dough and roll it into small balls. Use your finger to poke a little hole in the centre. Add a splash of food dye. Finally, use some plain leftover dough to fill the hole. Your magic play dough is all finished!

You can pop the balls of play dough into zip lock bags or wrap them in clear cellophane ready to give to your Little Learners. I’ve also included a little FREE printable for you to use. There are three different versions of the card included. Smaller labels, larger labels and large fold over labels. If they’re a bit small, you can mount them onto cardboard and fold over.

Hi Casey!
Thank you for this recipe. I'm planning to make this for my class of 14 this year and am curious how many balls you're able to make with the recipe above. Thank you!
I would guestimate about 5 balls per recipe…but it will depend on how big the balls are! I use this recipe at home for our three children and it’s a great amount for them to split into three.