Rainy Day Fun with Homemade Play-dough and Brown Bag Popcorn

We are coming up on our 3 month mark of living across the pond.  One thing we have learned is that we can't always tell the kids to go play outside anymore.  It rains here.  :)  For Memorial Day weekend we didn't have plans and pretty much stayed home.  The kids had a four day weekend from school and it poured rain the entire time.  By the time we hit day three they were getting antsy.  So, I did my usual and began to scroll through my Pinterest boards and found Play-dough.  I don't know why I hadn't thought of it earlier or why, up to until now, I have never made my own.  My kids all love Play-dough, especially my little one.  We threw out what we had before we moved and I hadn't gotten around to getting more yet.  So my girls and I hit the kitchen to try to whip some up.  It was so simple and we had everything we needed.  It was great.  They were even more excited to play with it since they made it and it kept all three of them busy for the next two days!  This is a great "recipe" if you haven't tried it before.  It is soft, not super salty, fast to make and the kids are guaranteed to love it.  :)  What do you do for rainy days??

Homemade Play-Dough

from KristanLynn.com

Ingredients: 1 C Flour
1 C Water
1/4 C Salt
1 TBSP Vegetable Oil
2 tsp Cream of Tarter
Food Coloring (actual coloring or a kool-aid packet will do)
Sparkles (If you wanna be a fun mom!)
Sauce Pan and Wooden Spoon

Pour everything in the saucepan, in not particular order.  Mix it well.
Once the mixture is (mostly) clump free. Heat over MEDIUM heat.
Stir. Don’t stop stirring. After a few minutes it will start to clump up.

Stir, Stir, Stir.  Just keep stirring until the Play Dough is formed. It will  form one big clump.

Remove from heat, and knead by hand.

Once cooled it’s ready to go. Package it up for some party favors or stocking stuffers.  Or grab your cookie cutters, plastic scissors, rolling pin, etc.. and let your kids go to town.

*This recipe yields about a cup and half of dough. 

*I use this recipe for each color I make. 

*Should last about 6 months



We also love family movie night around here!  We try to have one at least once a month, if not once a week.  We, of course, always have to have popcorn.  I think my oldest could live on popcorn alone.  I hate microwave popcorn.  For me, it is always a last resort.  When I first saw my friend over at Change of Pace blog about making Brown Bag Popcorn, I knew she was a genius!  I love making it this way.  Each person gets their own bag, it is the perfect amount and there isn't any added junk to it.  Give it a try for your next movie night or even for an afternoon snack. 

Brown Bag Popcorn

Add 1/4-1/3 cup popcorn kernels to a brown paper bag, fold the bag over twice then heat in a microwave — folded side down — for 2-3 minutes.  And Ta-Da!  So simple and so good!  Add melted butter, salt or whatever you'd like and enjoy!