Toys to Make

Clay/Playdough

These instructions are for parents to make the playdough, but kids
will enjoy the final result!

by K. Lundquist

1 1/2 cups water
1-3 teaspoons food coloring
2 tablespoons oil
2 cups rice flour (or other flour)
1/2 cup salt
4 tablespoons cream of tartar

  Combine first 3 ingredients; set aside.
  Put remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan. Gradually stir in the
liquid mixture.
  Over medium heat, stir constantly for 5 minutes, until the mix gathers into
a ball of dough.
  Let cool for 5-8 minutes, then knead with hands until smooth.
  Store in airtight refrigerator.  As there are no preservatives, discard
after about a month.




Gunk

Is it a solid? Or a liquid?

You'll need:
Water
Arrowroot powder (about 3-4x water)

   Mix together the above ingredients in a small bowl. Then, play!
Try running your finger through it quickly...it's hard! If you run
your finger through it slowly, it's easy to get through. Try to penetrate
the surface with your finger as fast as you can. OUCH -- it's solid
as a rock! Try slowly now, and it acts like a liquid.






Pinata

A pinata is a fun -- and messy -- project that involves taking ordinary
household materials and turning them into a toy that can be used at parties,
or just for fun with friends. Once it's finished, you can play a game
with your parents' guidance, that involves being blindfolded and trying
to hit the pinata with a bat to get out the surprises inside! 

You'll need:
Newspaper*
Balloon (or tissue or cereal box if you are allergic to latex)
Tissue or crepe paper
1 cup of water per
   2 tablespoons rice flour
   1/2 cup oat flour

  Spread newspaper under your workplace, thickly (the glue will drip as
you make your pinata).
  Mix together the flours and water in a large, flat bowl (one of your
mom's mixing bowls will work well). Stir until it is well-blended.
  Rip newspaper into strips of any size; small strips, but long in length,
are best. Dip these in the glue one at a time until completely drenched,
and drape over the balloon as flat as possible. Cover the entire balloon
except for a hole on tip, where the candy and/or toys can be put in and
where the balloon will later be popped from.
  Once the balloon is covered with two or more layers of newspaper,
set it in the kitchen sink drain to dry. Once it has stopped dripping, it 
can be transfered to a bowl to dry.
  Let dry overnight. If it doesn't seem strong enough (just push a bit
on the newspaper in the morning), you can add another layer or two and let
it dry overnight again. 
  Now it gets more fun! Pop the balloon from the hole you left at the top.
Then decorate the pinata, if you want to (you can keep it natural)
using tissue or crepe paper, fringing it into strips as you 
go. You can just make it a design or, using cardboard, make it into an animal.
  Go out shopping with your mom or dad and find something little and fun
to put in the pinata to share with your friends. Once the treats are added,
cover up the hole with more tissue or crepe paper.
  The glue recipe also works for paper mache projects. Have fun!

* NOTE: If you are soy-allergic and cannot be near newspaper ink, your parents
can purchase blank newsprint to use.