homemade play doh {for long days in}

Excuse the pajamas. My boys wear regular clothes too, sometimes.
But the past few days have been pj's only. We've been cooped up with on again off again fevers since Monday and the boys have been sluggish and lethargic as a result. {This is the point in winter when I am desperate for spring.}

One of my favorite things to do with the boys when we're cooped up is to make something together. It wards off the crankiness to get them excited about creating something. William and I tried this recipe for play doh for the first time a few months ago and we were so excited when it worked. Henry hadn't tried it yet, so we decided to make a batch yesterday morning.

It is so easy. Three batches, some assorted cookie cutters, a rolling pin and a few plastic forks and knives later and the boys were happy as clams. They busily created, invented, chopped, diced and sliced through their colored {and scented} dough. They were happy and it staved off their feeling cranky at being confined inside for a stretch longer.

 To make your own mix together the ingredients in any order. We added them in a different order each time and it worked every time. To add color, you can use 1 packet of kool-aid or food coloring. We made three kinds -- Henry chose pink lemonade and added red, William's was blue raspberry and the last one we made together with green food coloring and a few drops of peppermint extract. Stir everything together. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly. After a short time the dough will start to pull away from the edges and clump together. Once it's mostly one big clump, take it off the heat, turn it onto a surface and knead. The lumps smooth out and it's warm and soft and ready to use.

It's really super easy. I worried that I'd somehow mess it up, but several batches later, I promise you that it will work and works every time!  We store ours in small tupperware containers. It lasts for a few weeks.

 I know I need to choose to be grateful on these long cold winter days spent inside with sick children. Fussy times and crabby days {for them and for me} happen but there's something about quality time spent making something together that chases away crankiness and brings a smile to their faces and to mine too.