We are in a time that we haven‘t been in before. The panic, fear and confusion is getting to many of us. Please don‘t panic, limit your news viewing to updates only, wash your hands and be respectful of one another.
With our children out of school, the boredom is only a day away. When you hear the cry “I don’t have anything to do,” you may consider one of these activities. I have included a couple of recipes I used with my children when they were home and we had great fun making and using them.
One is for homemade play dough and another is for sidewalk chalk. Try one of these with one or a group. Great fun and a great activity. Get outside and enjoy the day. One day you will be in my shoes.
My children are grown and my granddaughters aren’t in the area. Have fun and God bless. We can get through this together … but apart. Remember to wash your hands and have a great week.
Homemade Play dough
1 cup white flour
1 cup warm water
1 cup salt
2 tbsp cream of tartar
2 tbsp cooking oil
1 -3 oz pack Jell-O
Directions: Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously until it thickens into a ball of dough. This step does take a little while. Just keep stirring, you’ll know it’s ready when you won’t be able to stir anymore.
Once it has finished cooking, place the dough onto a floured cutting board and wait for it to cool.
Once it is cool (at least 20-30 minutes) let the little ones knead it, adding in flour until it is no longer sticky (about 1/2 cup). At this point, you can add in extra food coloring to make the colors more vibrant, or even add glitter.
When you are finished playing, store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It will keep for at least a few weeks in the refrigerator, with daily use. If at any time it starts to be a little sticky, just add more flour.
Homemade sidewalk chalk
Find a mold for your sidewalk chalk. Anything from a toilet tissue roll or small paper cup to fancy candy molds or muffin tins will work.
Directions: Mix together 1 cup of Plaster of Paris with 3/4 cup of water. Add color to your mixture using powdered tempera paint. Blend well and let stand for a few minutes.
Pour your mixture into the molds you chose. Set aside and let dry completely. Once dry you can remove your chalk from the mold. Set it aside to dry for approximately 24 hours or more. Take your chalk outside and create fun masterpieces!
I really enjoy this time with you each week and would love to hear from you. Do you have any requests? Is there a recipe you have been looking for or remember from your younger years? Can I help you find it? Do you have any recipes that are special to you that you could share with us? Please contact me at susieqcooking@outlook.com or c/o Pioneer Times, P.O. Box 456, Houlton, Maine 04730.
