<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
 
[log in to unmask] wrote:
 
DC> My two daughters (aged 4 and 2)....celiac disease....They had been
DC> playing with Playskool Playdoh early in the afternoon (1:00 -
DC> 1:30)....and by supper hour our oldest was almost uncontrollable
DC> behavior wise....I am wondering if anyone knows about the GF status
DC> of the playdoh.
 
My understanding is that the commericially-available product "Play-Doh"
is NOT GF.  Also, most "play dough" recipes used at schools, etc, are
also made using wheat flour.  With little ones, the handling of such
products will inevitably result in some of it ending up in the mouth.
 
The reaction you've described has occurred in other celiac children.
For example, in September 1995 Andy Stevenson <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
 
AS> Our four-year-old celiac daughter recently started a preschool
AS> program.  Should she be allowed to participate in making play
AS> dough?  I'm concerned about airborne flour dust, as well as about
AS> her inadvertently putting her hands in her mouth while making it.
AS> Once the play dough is made, is there any concern about handling
AS> it?  Does anyone have a gluten-free play dough recipe? I also have
AS> an unrelated question.  When she does react to something she's
AS> eaten, she tends to have some rather bizarre personality changes
AS> (howling in her sleep, vivid nightmares, extreme overreactions to
AS> everyday problems, and so on).
 
[log in to unmask] also wrote:
 
DC> If it does contain gluten, does anyone have a good recipe for GF
DC> playdoh?
 
Here are some excerpts from previous posts containing recipes and ideas
for GF Play-Doh alternatives:
 
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Date:         Thu, 28 Sep 1995 10:40:24 EDT
From:         Tim <[log in to unmask]>
 
Here is our play dough recipe.  It makes wonderful play dough (as close as we
have ever seen to the real thing).  We accidently stumbled onto this by
modifying it a couple times.  It works with regular flour or rice flour.
 
1/2 cup flour (rice for GF, wheat for Non-GF, or whatever)
1/2 cup corn starch
1/2 cup salt
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup water
1 tsp cooking oil
food coloring
 
Cook and stir on low heat for 3 minutes or until it forms a ball.
 
We tried it with no corn starch and it was YUK.   We tried it with nothing but
corn starch and it was a little too thick and crumbly.  The original recipe
called for 1 cup flour so as we just make sure the amount of corn starch and
flour totals one cup.
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Date:         Sun, 1 Oct 1995 13:30:59 -0500
From:         Sarah R Rogers <[log in to unmask]>
 
Play Clay recipe (as found on Arm & Hammer Baking Soda, Bicarbonate of Soda,
sodium bicarbonate):
 
1 one pound box of baking soda
1 cup corn starch
1 1/4 cups cold water
 
Stir together baking soda and Corn starch in saucepan
Add water abd cook over medium heat until mixture reaches consistancy of
moist mashed potatoes (approximately 10-15 minutes.)
Remove and put on plate. Cover with a damp cloth. When cool enough to
handle, pat until smooth.
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Date:         Fri, 8 Mar 1996 15:27:06 -0500
From:         "DOUGLAS A. JEEVES" <[log in to unmask]>
 
My daughter brought this home from youth club, perhaps someone else may like
to try it out (usual warnings about gluten-free ingredients, and use a
strong mixer).
 
Peanut Butter Play Dough
 
2 cups peanut butter
1 cup honey
2-1/2 cups powdered milk
1 cup powdered sugar
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Date:         Tue, 4 Jun 1996 04:34:35 -0400
From:         [log in to unmask]
 
My greatest concern with wheat-flour based play clays is that little ones
may inadvertently carry the residue from their hands to their mouths. It
gets trapped in every crack and crevice and under fingernails. Scrupulous
handwashing may prevent this, but I've deferred experimentation until Ted
gets older by giving him the new polymer clays to experiment with instead.
These can be found in most craft stores. They do not harden unless baked in
your oven, and (except for the glow-in-the-dark clays) they have the lovely
firm texture of real clay that Playdough lacks. They are far more expensive
than playdough, but we get around this by making teeny tiny things whenever
possible. (Also, if you consider the rate at which Playdough dries out, the
polymer clay's "forever young"ness looks like a real advantage.)
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Date:         Wed, 4 Dec 1996 12:29:10 -0800
From:         "Lisa M. Holm" <[log in to unmask]>
 
Well I've finally found it.  I've tested this recipe (on kids) and it's great
for sculpting and playing with, and can be eaten.  You can add food coloring
to it, but when you mix two colors, they really mix!....Just remember to
use GF powdered sugar.  (no prob in U.S.)
 
(Oh, this was gotten from the U. of Nebraska gopher server about 3-4 years ago.)
 
EDIBLE PLAY DOUGH
Mix together:  (I used the Kitchen-Aid mixer)
1/3 cup margarine
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp GF vanilla extract (or other flavoring)
Add 1 lb of powdered sugar.  Knead it.  Divide and add food coloring.  Then
refrigerate to keep from spoiling (in a ziploc bag - this dough doesn't dry
out.)
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Finally, here are two more recipes, this time from the February 1994
issue of _The Sprue-nik Press_:
 
   Peanut Butter Play Dough
 
   1 cup peanut butter
   1/2 cup honey
   1 to 1-1/2 cups powdered milk
 
Spoon the peanut butter into a mixing bowl.  Pour in the honey.  Mix
in 1 cup of powdered milk and blend until smooth.  Add up to 1/2 cup
more powdered milk if you want a thinner consistency.  This recipe is
edible.
 
   GF Flour Play Dough
 
   1 cup water
   1/2 cup salt
   1 cup GF flour mix (6 parts rice flour, 2 parts potato starch,
                       and 1 part tapioca starch)
   1-1/2 tsp. methylcellulose
   1-1/2 tsp. xanthum gum
   1 tsp. cream of tartar
   1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
 
In a wide-bottom pan, bring the wter to a boil.  Add the salt and stir
until dissolved.  Remove from the heat and add the remaining
ingredients.  Knead together when c ool.  Keep it in a plastic bag or
tightly-sealed container.
 
Jim Lyles ........ <[log in to unmask]> ........ Holly, Michigan, USA