Winter fun for kids, Make edible play dough

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Winter is upon us. Kids can get cabin fever quickly when their outdoor play is limited by the cold. One fun indoor activity is making a batch of homemade play dough. To appeal to a wider age range, you can create edible play dough. Younger and older kids alike will enjoy these fun and tasty craft recipes, so keep them handy. The last recipe below can be mixed, kneaded, shaped and played with, then baked into colorful sugar cookies.

Kool-Aid Play Dough

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
3 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 packet unsweetened Kool-Aid drink mix
1 cup water
1 tablespoon oil

Mix dry ingredients together in a large saucepan. Add water and oil and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens to dough. Knead. Add additional flour if needed. Store in airtight container. — Kim, New York

Jell-O Play Dough

1 cup flour
1 cup water
1/2 cup salt
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 (3 1/2 ounces) package unsweetened Jell-O
1 tablespoon oil

Mix all ingredients together. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and pulls away from the sides. Let cool and knead with floured hands. Once cool, store in airtight container. — Kim, New York

Peanut Butter Play Dough

1 18-ounce jar creamy peanut butter
6 tablespoons honey
3/4 cup non-fat dry milk

Mix peanut butter and honey together. Add dry milk gradually until desired consistency. Knead. Store in an airtight container. — Misty, Indiana

Chocolate Play Dough

1 16-ounce container chocolate frosting
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Mix ingredients together. Knead. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate after play. — April, Connecticut

Oatmeal Play Dough

1 cup flour
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup water

Mix the oatmeal and flour together in a bowl. Gradually add water. Knead until smooth. Discard any remaining dough after play.

Play Dough Cookies

3/4 cup butter
3 ounces cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
assorted food coloring gel

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a bowl, cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Beat until smooth. In a serparate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Stir until soft dough forms. Divide dough into quarters. Tint each with a different food coloring. Wrap in plastic and chill for 2 hours. Shape colors into 3/4-inch balls. For each cookie, place four different colored balls together and roll to make one giant ball. Roll into a 12-inch long snake, and then, starting at one end, coil to make a cookie. Place cookies 2 to 3 inches apart on greased cookie sheet to allow for spreading. Bake for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool and store in an airtight container. — Dixie, email

photo by lovelihood