I don’t know if it’s just me, but the last weeks of summer in particular seem to drag out endlessly. At this point in the game, I feel completely out of ideas to keep my kid busy, just at the same time all the wonderful summer activities for kids have petered out. Vacations are over, camps have been completed, free kids movies have ended, and summer bucket list items checked off the list. Though we start summer break full of energy and motivation, by this time, I just feel like shrugging at Aidan and saying, “sorry dude – I’ve got nothin’!”

But just when all hope is lost, I remember that I still have a few tricks up my sleeve to keep us entertained. Aidan enjoys cooking and still likes to indulge in a little sensory play now and then – and a recipe we’ve done a few times in the past is the perfect combination of both of these. If your kids are getting restless during this dragging last week, this activity should keep them busy for awhile, and the best part is that you get to eat your craft! Here is our basic recipe for Edible Peanut Butter Playdough. You may sub peanut butter with SunButter if there are nut allergies in your family. After you have made the basic recipe, kids can play with it like playdough, shape and mold it, use cookie cutters and other dough accessories, and form it into bugs, creatures, and whatever other designs they can think of. Then, it’s time to snack on it! The basic recipe can keep for awhile, or you can even freeze it for later use. Enjoy!

 

Edible Peanut Butter Playdough

• ¼ cup creamy peanut butter (can sub SunButter for nut allergies)
• 1 tablespoon wheat germ
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 3 tablespoons nonfat dried milk + more as needed if dough becomes too sticky
• small edible items to use as accessories (optional). We like to use chow mein noodles for “legs” and pieces of raisin for eyes. Mini chocolate chips also work well.

1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until well incorporated.
2. Chill in fridge until firmer and a bit drier.
3. Model the “clay” into desired shapes, adding more dried milk if necessary and if clay starts to stick to hands.
4. Decorate with edible accessories as desired.

Once playtime is over, enjoy the playdough as a snack!