Shh....Magic Playdough.....

Shhhhhh.....Keep it a secret!  This is how I mix up a mysterious concoction in my kitchen for the first day of school.  Not really...it is just homemade play dough.  I make it and roll it into individual balls for each student. Then I use my thumb to poke a hole into the play dough and put food coloring in each one.  I carefully close up the holes so no first grader can see the color.  I place each ball into a small ziploc bag.

We have a poem we recite.  It is about how our magic play dough will change colors if we are going to have a great year together! I say some kind of magical words and wave my hands...then everyone takes a bag and kneads it. We keep it in the bag while we mix it...and yes, the first year I did not leave the play dough in the bags and everyone went home with stained hands...I'm sure it did not instill a lot of faith in my teaching abilities!  Try it at home...but not until we do it at school!  Shhhhh...keep it a secret!

First, mix the dry ingredients

Add the wet ingredients over medium heat

Stir while heating

Poke a hole and add food coloring.

Place in baggie and refrigerate overnight!