# Chilled No-Cook Play Dough > Mix cornstarch, unflavored gelatin, water and food color (or Kool-Aid), then chill it in the fridge for 4-7 hours to make a cool, flour-free play dough. There's no cooking or hot water, so preschoolers can make a batch by themselves. - URL: https://www.funlittles.com/playdough-recipes-for-play/ - Ages: 3–7 yrs · Difficulty: easy · Mess: medium - Time: prep 7 hr 10 min, activity 30 min - Works for: one-on-one, small group, whole class · one batch serves about 2 kids - Skills: sensory-exploration, fine-motor, measuring, independence - Cautions: corn, food-dye, ingestion-risk ## Materials (one batch) - 0.75 cup Cornstarch - 1 packet Unflavored gelatin - 0.75 cup Water (household) - Food color or Kool-Aid - Oil (optional) (household) - 2 piece Mixing bowls (household) - 1 piece Spoon (household) - Wax paper (household) - 1 piece Plastic tablecloth ## Substitutions - Instead of food color: Kool-Aid drink mix (Adds scent as well as color.) ## Safety - Taste-safe, not a snack: the author says all the ingredients are edible, so an accidental taste is no cause for panic. Still, don't encourage kids to eat play dough. - Store the dough in the fridge. Left out at room temperature it gets moldy in a day, so throw away any dough that has been sitting out. - If you use lukewarm water to dissolve the gelatin, an adult checks the temperature before kids handle it. - Supervise sensory play at all times. ## Before you start - Make the dough 4-7 hours ahead (or the day before) so it has time to set in the fridge. Kids can do the mixing themselves. - If the dough chilled overnight, take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before play time. - Cover the play surface with a plastic tablecloth. ## Steps 1. Dissolve 1 packet of unflavored gelatin in 3/4 cup of water. Stir and squish until it is thoroughly dissolved. 2. Add food color, or Kool-Aid if you want scent, to 3/4 cup of cornstarch. 3. Pour the gelatin water into the colored cornstarch and mix. 4. Keep mixing until it looks like a smooth, runny batter. 5. Set the mixture in the fridge for 4-7 hours. 7 hours gives the best dough. 6. Lift the set dough out and put it on wax paper. 7. Add a bit of oil if you like, and knead. 8. Cut it up, mold it and enjoy how cold it feels. 9. Put leftover dough back in the fridge. ## Tips - Don't pull out your play dough too soon, or else you will have a sticky mess. I personally love how it turns out in 7 hours. - Add oil to make it a bit smoother. - The chilliness adds to the fun sensory element. - My preschooler made a batch all by herself, and that's a big accomplishment for little kids. - Gelatin dissolves better in hot water, but it does moderately dissolve in cold water if you squish it a bit. - Still sticky? Try lukewarm water instead of tap-cold water for the gelatin, and use food color rather than Kool-Aid. - Store it in the fridge for at least 2-3 days. Don't leave it out, because it gets moldy in a day. - Flavored Jell-O instead of unflavored gelatin and Kool-Aid turned out very runny and goopy. (from readers) - One reader followed the recipe exactly and still had a sticky, mashed-potato consistency after 8 hours. Results may vary, so test a batch before a group session. (from readers) ## FAQ **Can I use flavored gelatin (Jell-O) instead of unflavored gelatin and Kool-Aid?** No. The author tried it first and it got too sticky, even when she varied the ratios. A reader's Jell-O batch was runny and goopy. Unflavored gelatin worked. **Doesn't gelatin need hot water?** It dissolves better in hot water, but it moderately dissolves in cold water if you squish it a bit. The dough then takes 5-7 hours to set. For trouble, the author suggests lukewarm water. **My dough is still sticky after 8 hours. What went wrong?** The author re-tested the recipe and it worked. She suggests dissolving the gelatin in lukewarm water instead of tap-cold water, and using food color. **How many students does one batch serve?** A teacher asked, but the post doesn't say. Plan several batches for a class. **How long does it keep?** At least 2-3 days in the refrigerator. Left out, it gets moldy in a day. After an overnight chill, set it out 30 minutes before play so it softens. **Is it really edible?** All the ingredients are edible, so an accidental taste is no cause for panic. It isn't meant to be eaten, though, and the author doesn't encourage kids to eat play dough. ## The original post by TurkeyMom (2013) Yesterday we made our a cool batch of [**play ice cream.**](https://www.funlittles.com/sensory-activities-kids-pretend-ice-cream-play/) Today we turned the same ingredients into an easy play dough. We have used popular [**play dough recipes**](https://www.funlittles.com/fresh-flowers-play-dough-play/) to make a good batch of home made play dough with flour. But it needed cooking or hot water. While the process was faster the kids couldn't make them independently. The best part about this play dough is that it does **NOT need flour** and the **kids can make this** chilled play dough all by themselves simply because there isn't any cooking or hot water involved and all are **ingredients are edible.** Not that you should encourage the kids to eat play dough.. Just in case they do and we know they will, moms don't have to panic . Interested? Here we go. - 3/4 cup of cornstarch - 1 packet of unflavored gelatin - 3/4 cup of water - Kool-Aid/ Food Color - Oil (optional) Dissolve the gelatin in 3/4 cup of water thoroughly. Add food color or Kool-Aid ( if you prefer scent) to the cornstarch. Mix the gelatin water to the colored cornstarch. You will get this. Set the mixture in the fridge for 4-7 hours. I personally love how it turns out in 7 hours. You should be able to remove the cornstarch-gelatin mixture and set it on a wax paper. Add a bit of oil if you prefer and knead. Tada! your chilled play dough is ready. Playing with it was great and the chillness added to the fun sensory element. My preschooler made a batch all by herself and that's a big accomplishment for little kids. **Notes about the play dough:** Add oil to make it a bit smoother. Protect your surface with a plastic table-cloth since it may leave a dry stain.. You can easily wipe this off but you don't want to clean up just cover your surface. Don't pull out your play dough too soon or else you will have a sticky mess. You can store the play dough for at least 2-3 days in the refrigerator. If the play dough has sat in the fridge overnight set it out 30 minutes before play time for a pliable texture. Don't let the play dough sit outside it gets moldy in a day. Hope you enjoy the chilled edible play dough KIDS can make all by themselves.! **Thanks for reading** Visit our [**play dough**](https://www.funlittles.com/category/play-doh/) category for more Do your kids love playing with play dough and can't get enough of it? Then this wonderful book packed with so many great homemade play dough recipes and play ideas is for you! If you want to take play dough beyond sensory play try coloring with play dough.