Kool-Aid Play Dough Recipe for Homemade Mix in a Bag Gifts

...Inexpensive Kool-Aid Packets Make this Homemade Play Dough Mix Colorful, Thrifty and Fruity Scented

Making play dough is magical for kids and fun for adults!

...Plus, many of us (self included) prefer homemade play dough over the brand name store bought "PlayDoh," because it's more pliable, smells better and stays moist much longer.

Gifts made using this Kool-Aid play dough recipe make great birthday favors for kids and also fun kid and family gifts for holidays such as Christmas, Halloween or Easter.


A colorful bag of play dough mix also makes a unique homemade birthday gift, especially if given as part of a gift basket full of play dough toys (such as a small rolling pin and cookie cutters), a play dough mix, a wooden spoon and containers to store the play dough once it's made.

As a bonus, this particular play dough recipe is colored and scented with Kool-Aid drink mix, making it a budget friendly gift and extra fun for the kids.

If you'd prefer, you can also use this play dough mix gift idea with your own family's play dough recipe. The best recipes usually have some amount of cream of tartar for a preservative and oil to keep homemade play dough moist.

Kool-Aid Play Dough Recipe Mix...

This Kool-Aid play dough mix was created using two cellophane treat bags (available at craft and party stores) and decorated with twisted chenille stems.

To Make a Kool-Aid Play Dough Recipe Gift You'll Need:

Tools: Large spoon, medium sized mixing bowl and a canning funnel is helpful (roll a piece of paper into a funnel if needed).

Optional Additions: A wooden spoon and/or cookie cutters can be added as keepsake embellishments.

How to Make Kool-Aid Play Dough Recipe Mix:

1. Mix flour, salt and cream of tartar in bowl and set aside.

2. Put one plastic treat bag into the other. If needed, use a large clean spoon or any utensil handle to push out corners.

3. Slip a Kool-Aid packet between bags in front and back.

4. Using a wide funnel, fill the inner bag with the mix.

5. Slip the other two Kool-Aid packs into the remaining two sides.

6. Twist close and secure both bags tightly.

7. Decorate with ribbon... or chenille stems for an even more kid-friendly playful look.

8. Attach a free printable Kool-Aid Play Dough Mix Recipe Gift Tag

...or make your own Kool-Aid play dough recipe gift tag, including the following instructions:

Instructions: Combine mix with 2 cups cold water and 2 tablespoons oil in a large sauce pan. Stir over medium heat. Mixture will be lumpy and very thin. Stirring will take about 5 to 10 minutes. Mixture will start to thicken after several minutes. Push and stir dough as it suddenly stiffens and forms a ball. Stir until you reach play dough thickness and remove pot from heat. When warm but touchable, turn dough out onto wax paper and knead into a loaf. Separate dough into 4 pieces to be colored. Push a dip in each piece and sprinkle from 1 tsp to a full packet of dry unsweetened drink mix. Knead well until desired color and scent is reached.

That's it! Give and have fun!

No Kool-Aid? You can also make this mix without the Kool-Aid. My mom always made it with food coloring (get our traditional recipe using food coloring here!).

As shown in the picture to the right, you can turn the food coloring bottles into vibrant embellishments by using the food coloring to dye coffee filters and wrapping each color in it's own custom dyed coffee filter.

Always give your recipient the full recipe so they can make play dough for years to come!

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