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I am very lazy to make play dough for my kids, and it is just always such a mess!!! So my strategy is: Make them an enriched bread dough that does not stick too much and let them play to their hearts content, shape, rise and bake the dough and everyone can enjoy it together! Minimum mess! Try this Sourdough real life play dough for kids and let me know if you like it too!

Note to self: Give the kids 2 pans next time.

I hate play dough!

Please tell me I am not alone!

It never stays clean, just takes a few minutes to mix the colours and turn into a brown, unattractive and suspicious ‘blob’ and dries out so quickly and cause a mess on the floor (or carpet!) every time the kids play, and my toddler keeps eating it like its the best tasting food she ever had! I don’t care if it is home made, cooked and ‘not harmful’, and I have nothing against a good helping of salt to add taste to food. But THAT much salt can not be good for anyone! (Maybe it is just my ego talking because she does not like my food half as much as her play dough???)

I KNOW… But they enjoy it so much, how can you deprive them? Or cause a giant hole in their education and small motor development because you never let them play with play dough?

Allow me to paint my point

I love dough. Almost nothing makes me happier to mix a mix of sourdough bread dough and work with it and seeing it come together in a strong, smooth, lovely ball. I get sooo much satisfaction from it. So I can relate to the children’s ecstasy and love for playing with play dough. I get it!

But pleeeease can we make a compromise??? It is no fun to have to make play dough every week, walk with irritating things sticking to your feet (even the baby cried because there was play dough stuck to her foot today!) and sweep or vacuum heaps of play dough crumbs from under the dining room table e.v.e.r.y. d.a.y.

So I propose

Make the kids an enriched bread dough that does not stick too much and let them play their hearts out! First they get their hands super dirty with mixing (which they absolutely LOVE) and then with a little help it comes together and they can get the play dough toys out (hopefully clean) and play with the dough for an hour or more and in the process the flour gets time to absorb all the liquid (autolyse) and just when the kids gets distracted or tired I can jump in and give it a quick and proper kneading to bring it together.

Bonus!

Next day shaping is just as much fun (with just a few rules to not tear the dough into 10 000 pieces this time). Warning, they can get VERY creative, you might consider making a rule or two about ‘what’ they shape too, just saying. Let the ‘rolls’ rise and bake it.

Best of all, everyone can enjoy the end result TOGETHER! Who doesn’t love a fresh sweet sourdough bread roll straight from the oven? I am sure that the children gets much more satisfaction from this than to have to break up their creations with traditional play dough every time, not having an ‘end result’ to show for, or to taste! (Except for my toddler, of course, she gets the tasting any way)

So here goes the recipe for Sourdough real life play dough for kids aka ‘Sourdough Brioche’

Ingredients

WHITE DOUGH

333g Flour
68g Milk
100g Active Starter
95g Melted Butter or coconut oil
95g (2) Eggs
75g Sugar
5g Salt

CHOCOLATE DOUGH

300g Flour
30g Sifted Cocoa Powder
68g Milk
100g Active Starter
95g Melted Butter or coconut oil
95g (2) Eggs
75g Sugar
5g Salt

Instructions

Add all wet ingredients in a bowl and beat until incorporated.
Mix sifted cocoa powder and flour for the chocolate version.
Add all dry ingredients to wet ingredients.
Mix with hands.
If dough stays very sticky you can add 1 tbsp flour at a time until not sticking. Be careful to just add as necessary, the dough will get more firm with time.
Let the kids play.
Knead dough after kids are done playing, into a smooth ball.
Let rise until double. (It can take 12 hours at room temp in the winter)
Divide into 12 equal pieces (about 60g each) and shape into desired shapes.
Place on a baking paper lined baking sheet and let rise until double (at least) it can go a little further.
Pre-heat oven to 200°C to and bottom.
Spritz with water and bake 15 – 23minutes depending on the size of the buns and if it is packed tightly against each other. Try to bake it until just done, this will keep it from drying out.
Remove from the oven and wrap it gently in a table cloth to keep it from drying out as it cools.

Notes

Sometimes when mixing the dough you might find yellow specks that does not want to mix into the dough. This is when the eggs are not beaten and just mixed in with all the other ingredients. It does not always happen, I am not sure why. For incase I tend to beat the eggs and wet ingredients before adding the dry ingredients, this definitely helps.

This dough can be a real slow-poke. Because of the amount of butter/oil added, it slows down the fermenting and rising process. Be patient and do not rush it, it is so worth the wait!

The first rise can take up to 12 hours at room temperature, but do keep an eye on the dough.

Second rise can go more than double, it just gets very fragile. But the end result is amazingly light and pillowy.

The oven temperature might be different for you. I have a top and bottom gas oven. Adjust as you feel necessary.

Careful to not over bake, remember it still cooks for a few minutes when you take it out of the oven.

Sourdough Real Life Play Dough For Kids

Ingredients

WHITE DOUGH
333g Flour
68g Milk
100g Active Starter
95g Melted Butter or coconut oil
95g (2) Eggs
75g Sugar
5g Salt
CHOCOLATE DOUGH
300g Flour
30g Sifted Cocoa Powder
68g Milk
100g Active Starter
95g Melted Butter or coconut oil
95g (2) Eggs
75g Sugar
5g Salt

Instructions

Add all wet ingredients in a bowl and beat until incorporated.
Mix sifted cocoa powder and flour for the chocolate version.
Add all dry ingredients to wet ingredients.
Mix with hands.
If dough stays very sticky you can add 1 tbsp flour at a time until not sticking. Be careful to just add as necessary, the dough will get more firm with time.
Let the kids play.
Knead dough after kids are done playing, into a smooth ball.
Let rise until double. (It can take 12 hours at room temp in the winter)
Divide into 12 equal pieces (about 60g each) and shape into desired shape.
Place on a baking paper lined baking sheet and let rise until double (at least) it can go a little further.
Pre-heat oven to 200°C to and bottom.
Spritz with water and bake 15 - 23minutes depending on the size of the buns and if it is packed tightly against each other. Try to bake it until just done, this will keep it from drying out.
Remove from the oven and wrap it gently in a table cloth to keep it from drying out as it cools.