The end of the school season is quickly approaching, so I've been feverishly planning our family's summer schedule. In addition to YMCA camp and weekends up at the lake, I also try to come up with some fun activity ideas to have on hand for rainy days, or for moments when I hear those dreaded three words, "Mom, I'm bored."
If you leave it up to your kids to fill in that boredom gap, they'll most likely resort to handheld electronic devices or laptops. True? Sad but true. Times are changing, but as long as we, as parents, continue to encourage pretend play and creativity, we're providing them a balance that will be very important to their future success.
I'm so very excited as well as honored to be sharing this Ice Cream Play Dough recipe with you today. The original creation is from none other than my dear friend, Kelly Dixon. She blogs over at Smart School House and has some of the cutest, most colorful and unique ideas ever! She recently released her first book, "Smart School House Crafts for Kids: Year-round Projects for Holidays, Parties, & More."
I'm SO very proud of her accomplishment (as you can see here in my Instagram post) and I couldn't wait to share her book with all of you because it is AMAZING!!
The book is jam-packed with year-round activities and projects perfect for preschool- and elementary-age kids. Her bright, beautiful photos and step-by-step tutorials make following along so simple. For me, that's super important because it's so easy to get lost in a sea of text. Wouldn't you agree? When you have photos to reference, it makes it so much easier to recreate projects!
To help Kelly kick off her book tour, I've recreated her Ice Cream Play Dough recipe from the book to share with you all today. This play dough truly does look just like ice cream. Seriously.
You're going to want to taste it. And you know what? You can, because it's made with 100% edible ingredients!
What are they? No worries, I'm getting there.
To make this play dough, you'll need:
Ingredients
- 1 cup of pre-made frosting (I used Pillsbury Funfetti Frosting)
- 2 ¾ cups of powdered sugar
Instructions
Put the cup of frosting into a bowl and add the powdered sugar gradually as you mix everything together. I used a hand mixer for my dough and it worked well. Depending on the consistency of the frosting you use, you may need to add more or less of the powdered sugar.
If the dough seems sticky, add more powdered sugar until it turns into a dough-like consistency that doesn't stick to your hands. If you've added a bit too much powdered sugar, Kelly recommends to add a little olive oil and you'll be back in business!
What I learned about this dough, is to be patient. If the dough seems a little bit too sticky, before adding more powdered sugar, just give it 5 minutes or so and feel it again. Just allowing a little time for the ingredients to mesh may be all you need!
Just because I LOVE bright colors, I chose to go with neon pink and blue frosting. How could I resist? I also have a container of bright purple frosting waiting in the pantry so we can make another batch this summer!
"Smart School House Crafts for Kids: Year-round Projects for Holidays, Parties, & More" is filled with a ton of super cool projects, including this one!
Kelly's book is available for purchase through two major retailers, Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Order your copy today, so you're ready when your kids come to you this summer with that "I'm bored" look on their face!
Which project in Kelly's new book is your favorite?
Ice Cream Play Dough
Materials
- 1 cup pre-made frosting
- 2 ¾ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Put the cup of frosting into a bowl and add the powdered sugar gradually as you mix everything together. I used a hand mixer for my dough and it worked well.
- Depending on the consistency of the frosting you use, you may need to add more or less of the powdered sugar.
- If the dough seems sticky, add more powdered sugar until it turns into a dough-like consistency that doesn't stick to your hands.
- If you've added a bit too much powdered sugar, Kelly recommends to add a little olive oil and you'll be back in business!
Notes
- Choose the Right Frosting: The texture and consistency of your ice cream play dough largely depend on the type of frosting you use. Opt for a thick and creamy frosting rather than a runny one. This will help ensure that the play dough holds its shape and doesn't become too sticky. Cream cheese or buttercream frostings tend to work well for this recipe. However, if you prefer a vegan option, there are also dairy-free and vegan frostings available that can work nicely.
- Gradually Add Powdered Sugar for Consistency: As you mix the frosting and powdered sugar together, add the powdered sugar gradually. This allows you to control the consistency of the dough more effectively. Depending on the moisture content of the frosting, you may need more or less powdered sugar to achieve the desired texture. Adding too much powdered sugar at once can make the dough too dry and crumbly, so it's better to add it slowly until you reach the right consistency.
- Adjust Consistency as Needed: If the dough is too sticky, continue adding powdered sugar until it reaches a dough-like consistency that doesn't adhere to your hands. Conversely, if you accidentally add too much powdered sugar and the dough becomes too dry, you can rescue it by adding a small amount of olive oil. The olive oil helps to moisten the dough and bring it back to a pliable consistency without altering the taste significantly. Just add a little at a time until the dough becomes more workable again.
Sheena
That playdoh looks awesome!! We need some in our house for my niece who had never played with playdoh before the last time she was over and she took a bite of it.
Sara
I bet your niece would love this play dough. I hope you make some for her!
Carmia
Man, this looks so realistic! And the colours are just gorgeous as well. Visiting from My Favorite Things Saturday link party 🙂
Sara
Thank you, Carmia!
Mandee Thomas
How fun is this!! Pinned! I wanted to let you know that I'm featuring this post tonight at the Create & Share Link Party (7:00 PM MST)! Congratulations!!! Can't wait to see what you share with us this week. 🙂
Erin @ the-organized-life
How fun! What kid doesn't like playdough?... and even better that this one is edible! Thanks for sharing!
cathy
I really want to eat that playdough! I have to make this for my kids (and me) :-)!!!
How fun and creative!Kelly does have great ideas and a great blog!:-)
Cathy
Sara
I'll admit that I did taste it, Cathy! LOL Very sweet! And I agree, Kelly's ideas and blog are fantastic!
Heather
This is so cute! My little one is going to love this! Thanks so much for sharing at Tips & Tricks linky party. i hope you can come join in at this week's party? The post just went live... 🙂
Sara
Thank you, Heather!
yvonne
Hi Sara,
This looks so nice for the kids to play with :-). But i live in the netherlands and we don't have pre made frosting (our frosting is different), do you have something i can substitute the frosting for? Or how do i make frosting myself?
I hope you can help me cause the kids would love to play with this.
Sara
Hi Yvonne! Try mixing together 1 cup white chocolate and a half pound of butter. This is a simple way to make a 3-ingredient buttercream frosting that should work for you!
yvonne
Thanks for the tip, i wil definitely try this 🙂
sarah
Does this need to be refridgerated. If it is left out will it mold or go rancid?
Sara
Yes, you'll want to refrigerate it. It will harden in the fridge. When you take it out allow it to come to room temperature and add a little olive oil to the dough if you need it to be a bit more pliable.
Megan
This is great! How much dough does one container of frosting make? Im making this for my daughter's bday party and was going to put the dough on the cones like you did. I'm not sure how many containers of frosting I should buy.
Sara
It all depends on the size of cone and how many scoops you're putting on each one. Why don't you make one recipe to experiment to help you gauge how much you'll need?