Modeling clay exercises a real fascination in children. Colorful, it lends itself to all creations. But since toddlers are as tempted to mix it as to nibble on it, it is in our best interest to provide them with homemade modeling clay that is 100% healthy and therefore necessarily natural, which is not always the case with what can be found commercially. Here’s how to make modeling clay that’s safe.
Ingredients for healthy and 100% natural modeling clay
To prepare a plasticine ballthem ingredients essential are the following:
- 1 cup hot but not boiling water,
- 1 cup flour (wheat or other),
- 1 teaspoon of olive oil or another vegetable oil (grape seed, rapeseed, sunflower, etc.),
- 2 teaspoons baking powder or food grade baking soda
- ½ cup fine salt,
- 4 to 5 drops of food coloring.
All these ingredients are groceries. This 100% natural modeling clay is of course zero waste since it is compostable.
How to prepare non-toxic homemade modeling clay
Here’s how to prepare The simplest in the world a modeling clay that does not risk poisoning children since it contains only healthy and natural products.
- Place in a saucepan flour, salt and baking powder or, if you prefer, baking soda,
- Mix while incorporating vegetable oil and hot water,
- Bring to a simmer over low heat, whisking constantly.
- Take the pan off the heat as soon as the paste obtained comes off the sides,
- Wait until the dough has cooled enough to be kneaded by hand,
- Separate the dough into several pieces,
- Incorporate a different 100% natural coloring into each piece of dough,
- Mix to obtain a perfectly uniform color.
The modeling clay is ready. She may be used immediately or be put on hold. Simply place the balls of dough in small airtight jars to be able to keep them for several months without difficulty in the refrigerator. Just knead it with moistened hands so that it is again malleable and ready to be used again.
Color your 100% healthy and natural homemade modeling clay
Here again, we dig into the kitchen cupboards to be able to give his toddlers colored modeling clay without toxic products. Here are some food coloring ideas.
- Jaune : for a pretty, well-supported yellow, nothing beats curcuma which can be cultivated in parallel for its sumptuous flowers,
- Orange : the safran offers this natural pigment of plant origin, knowing that it is drawn from the stigmata of Crocus sativusbut the cooking water from the carrots gives a nice result too, after being filtered.
- Vert : a natural pigment that can be obtained from the spirulinaof the’spinach or even the mint for example,
- Marron : the coffee grounds just like the cacao allow you to obtain this greedy color as desired,
- Rouge : we all have on our spice rack a small jar of paprikaperfect for coloring modeling clay in a sublime red.
- Violet : it is simply with the Red cabbage that a splendid violet is obtained.
- Rose : there is no doubt that this beautiful color obtained with beet will delight little girls.
To note that to produce sound blue pigmentwe must cultivate the Peach to indigo (Peach dye) and use the leaves. But we do not color the modeling clay intended for children with this pigment because it can be toxic.
All you have to do is give free rein to your creativity to use 100% healthy and natural homemade modeling clay to create characters, small cabins, flowers, butterflies and other animals, hearts, pretty hats that we can decorate with feathers, petals, pearls…