Easter is just around the corner why not fill the kids’ baskets with a few candy-free goodies like this silly putty carrot?
I love Easter and all of the treats that come along with it. What I don’t love is the idea of my kids crashing after a day full of chocolate. So this year I’m filling their baskets with items they can use for arts and crafts or rainy day play, starting with this silly putty carrot. You can whip up one too with just a few simple ingredients.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- two bowls for mixing – one medium and one large
- water
- borax* – 1 1/2 tsp
- white glue – 2 cups (note: be sure to use regular white glue and not the school type)
- orange food coloring (I used wilton’s but the grocery store version is fine too)
- a clear frosting piping bag
- green ric rac ribbon
Start by mixing just a little more than 1/2 cup of water with 2 cups of white glue and a few drops of orange food coloring in the large bowl.
In the smaller bowl combine 1 1/2 tsp of borax with a little over 1/2 cup of warm water. Mix thoroughly and pour the mixture into the larger bowl.
Now comes the fun part, mixing with a metal spoon. Keep stirring until the mixture stops absorbing the water.
Remove the putty from the bowl and knead it gently with your hands. It will be somewhat slimy at first.
After a minute or two you’ll have bonafide silly putty.
Flatten the ball with your hand and roll it up.
Shape your hand like a “C” and hold the piping bag in it. Fold the top of the bag back over your hand and fill it with the silly putty.
Alternate between squeezing the air out of the tip of the bag and pushing the silly putty down until it reaches the tip. Push out any remaining air and twist the top of the bag closed.
Tie some green ric rac around the top and your carrot is done!
*Please note this recipe should only be given to older children as Borax should not be ingested
*For younger children try this recipe for home made Playdough:
- 1 cup white flour
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup salt
- 2 tsp Food Coloring
- 2 tbs cream of tartar
- 1 tbs oil
Mix the flour, salt and cream of tartar, add the rest of the ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat 3-5 minutes. It will look like a globby mess and you’ll be sure it’s not turning out…but it will. When it forms a ball in the center of the pot turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead. Store in an airtight container.
