Homemade Playdough: The Pinterest Dream vs the Actual Chaos
No matter what kind of mum you are, you'll have one of those moments — the ones where you fall down a Pinterest rabbit hole, scrolling through all the fun things you could make and do with your kids. Sure, you're really more of an "undo your pants the second you're in the car" type of mum, but that doesn't matter. You can be whoever you want.
Those other mums with their handmade, quinoa and wheatgrass cupcakes aren't any better than you. You can be just as Martha Stewart as they are. So there.
The "Let's Make Our Own Playdough" Idea
Inevitably, one of those Pinterest projects will be homemade playdough. The mum in the white tennis dress with the bouncy ponytail insists it's easy — you only need about 178 ingredients, most of which you can pick up from your local exotic botanist for a cool $678. But it's not about the cost. It's about the experience. The memories.
You'll take photos, obviously, for the socials. The kids will hang off your every instructional word. You'll use the moment to enlighten their growing minds with profound truths they'll reflect on well into adulthood.
Someday, when they're raising their own little ones, "the time we made playdough" will be one of those pivotal childhood memories. The other school mums will see the photos and say things like, "Gee, I don't know how you do it — you're a supermum." You'll laugh, feign humility, and say something like, "Oh, don't be silly, you just make the time for the little ones."
What Actually Happens
Only, it doesn't go like that at all.
The kids won't stop fighting, and you can only find one step stool — which means only one child can reach the bench, and the rest are furious about it. Nobody is listening. Everyone's complaining. Arms are sore from mixing. She got to add the last ingredient last time, so it's absolutely not her turn again. The soft baby pink you were aiming for is now crime scene red, thanks to an overzealous squeeze of food colouring.
There's flour everywhere, and all you can think about is how that same flour could've become a giant mud cake for you to demolish after bedtime instead. Eventually you produce something that vaguely resembles playdough, while two of the kids keep trying to eat it. The kitchen looks like it hosted a frat party, and the dough smells... off.
The Easier, Safer Swap: Natural Bio Dough
Next time, skip the 178 ingredient scavenger hunt and the crime scene food colouring altogether. Try bio dough instead — naturally scented, biodegradable, and completely safe if a curious toddler decides to sneak a taste.
- Naturally scented — no synthetic fragrances
- Biodegradable — better for the planet, not just the playroom
- Non toxic — safe even if little hands (and mouths) get curious
- No mess making required — just open the packet and hand it over
And if you still want to tell social media you made it yourself from scratch? Don't worry. We won't tell.
