Play Dough In The Classroom

[ryo]

my daughter started kindergarten this morning and it sounds like they will be using play dough A LOT this year  

 

can anyone send me some thoughts on making vs. buying play dough for the classroom?  and i would love your best recipe or online store for play dough.

 

thanks!

 

[StephanieL]

Our teachers removed play doh from the room. I had offered to make it but then there would be replacing all the tools and on and on so they chose to just do away with it.  I did make some for a special thing they did with the preschoolers with no tools and that stuff. 

[smilla]

I am having issues with this at my daughter's preschool. They use play dough every session. I am sure the entire classroom is covered with a film of gluten. They also have a bread and butter and vegemite station which they are refusing to alter in any way to make safe for my daughter. Anyway. I bring play dough in and get them to wipe down the play dough equipment. I found a brilliant recipe on here somewhere.

https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/22445-flippin-playdoughgrrr-i-need-help/

It is the one where you add more rice and corn flour after the original mix has cooled down. Easy, cheap, and lasts for ages.

[MominSoCal]

I used to make it all the time for my son when he was in kindy, and it was awesome.  Eventually, the teacher asked that I make more, since mine would LAST so much longer and stay softer than hers.  Until then, I put them in quart freezer bags and then in a clear pop top box, like a shoebox size.

We did not have contaimination issues with other kids, but that doesn't mean they won't.  Perhaps some education?  Print off some informative school prep gluten-free articles?  Unfortuantely, unless the school is public - I don't think private schools HAVE to go out of their way

[ryo]

thanks for the info and recipes!  i made it for her class but am going to try the recipe that smilla posted next time.

 

so far our teachers/school have been amazing at making changes for us.  we replaced all the play dough, they stored all the wooden tools for the year, and washed everything else in the dishwasher.  i still brought in a box of tools and a new tray for my daughter but i feel much better about it now.