Homemade play dough (scented)

Cook it. The no-cook versions go sticky or crumbly within days, but a cooked dough lasts months. Mix 2 cups flour, 1 cup salt, 2 tablespoons cream of tartar, 2 tablespoons oil, and 1.5 cups water in a pan, then stir over medium heat until it pulls away from the sides into a ball. Knead in scent and colour once it cools enough to handle. The cream of tartar is what gives it that smooth, stretchy, shop-bought texture.

A few drops of food flavouring, a spoonful of a ground spice, or a kid-safe essential oil. Vanilla extract, peppermint, cinnamon, and cocoa powder all smell wonderful and are completely food-safe, which matters with young children who put things near their mouths. Add scent at the kneading stage, not while cooking, so the heat does not drive it off. Go gently. A little goes a long way and too much can irritate skin.

Not enough cooking time, usually. The dough needs to cook until it genuinely pulls away from the pan and clumps into a ball, which can take a few minutes of constant stirring. If it is still tacky after kneading, return it to low heat for another minute or two. If it is crumbly instead, you overcooked it or added too much flour, and a teaspoon of water kneaded in will rescue it.

Airtight, at room temperature. An old yoghurt pot with a tight lid or a zip-lock bag works fine. Cooked play dough does not need the fridge and actually keeps best somewhere cool and dry, lasting two to three months. If it stiffens over time, knead a few drops of water in to revive it. The main enemy is air, so the better the seal, the longer it lasts.

The salt content makes it taste horrible, which stops most children fast, and the ingredients are all food-based, so a lick is harmless. A large mouthful is a different matter, because the high salt is genuinely not good for small children, so supervise toddlers and do not leave them alone with it. It is play material, not a snack, even though everything in it came from the baking cupboard.