Dandelion play dough
Brought to you by Jane Byrne our Kids’ Corner Contributor from Shetland Islands - land of the giant dandelions
We often think of dandelions as a weed, removing them from our gardens and lawns. Actually, did you know that every part of a dandelion is edible, including the flowers, stems, leaves and roots? They are a good source of vitamins A, C, K and minerals. The flowers can be used to make tea, wine or jelly. The leaves can be used in salads or cooked up in stir fries. The roots can be roasted!
We are going to use them to make colourful dandelion play dough. Here's a simple and fun recipe for homemade play dough.
What you will need:
Dandelion petals
Remove the petals from about 20 flowers, making sure to pull out the stamens in the middle of the flower.
Warm water
Oil
Salt
Cream of tartar
All purpose flour
Yellow food colouring, optional
Mixing bowl
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup salt
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
1/2 cup warm water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Food colouring (optional)
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and cream of tartar.
Gradually add in oil and warm water and mix until a dough forms. If desired add a few drops of yellow food colouring into the water.
Add dandelion petals continue kneading until smooth.
Knead the dough on a dry surface until it's smooth. The oil in the mixture ensures that it doesn’t stick to the surface when kneading.
I personally love the streaks and flecks of petals running through the dough. Now! What shapes are you going to make with your play dough? You could use a rolling pin, cutters, or just have fun using your imagination!
We would love to see what you do. Don’t forget to send in your photos to operations@opengardensvictoria.org.au