Children's modeling mass trademark“Play-Dough” is very popular among many parents, which is due to a number of its advantages over traditional plasticine, for example, a completely natural composition, hypoallergenicity and ease of use. However, such plasticine also has one significant drawback, which is its rapid drying after removal from the container in which it is placed by the manufacturer. And making plasticine soft again is quite difficult.

The thing is that the main components of Play-Dough for children's handicrafts are wheat flour, salt and water, which, of course, tends to evaporate from plasticine when it is on outdoors. However, if such plasticine has frozen, then you should not be too upset, because you can return it to its former plastic qualities very simply at home.

How to Soften Play-Dough

In order to return Play-Dough plasticine to its former softness, you can use one of three simple ways, namely:

• Add a little ordinary water to the modeling mixture. Dried plasticine must be placed in a bowl or cup. Then add no a large number of water and start kneading the mass with your hands. If the plasticine has frozen, what is called “tight,” then you need to wait 15-20 minutes and then start kneading it. If necessary, water can be added several times in small quantities during the kneading process.

• Wrap the plasticine in a damp towel. The frozen mass must be wrapped in a napkin, paper towel or other moisture-absorbing material well moistened with water, and then placed in an airtight container and left overnight. In the morning, the plasticine should be soft. If it has become insufficiently soft, then you can soften it even more using the previous method.

• Place plasticine in a bag of water. To do this, the solid mass must be divided into small pieces, and then placed in a hermetically sealed container. plastic bag by adding a few drops of water. After a few hours, the plasticine should become soft, and the softening procedure itself will take a minimum of effort.

Important! Soften Play-Dough plasticine using any of the above methods very carefully, adding a small amount of water to it. Otherwise, the consistency of the modeling mass may become very soft, making it completely unsuitable for further use.

If none of the above methods help, then you can try completely immersing the hardened mass in water for 15-20 minutes. During this time, it should absorb enough moisture to become soft. If after this procedure the plasticine remains hard, then it must be thrown away, since it will no longer be possible to soften it.

Updated: April 12, 2018 by: Vitaliy R

Plasticine is great option educational toys for children 3-6 years old. It improves fine motor skills hands, develops perseverance and imagination.

Plasticine, which is sold in stores, is in most cases toxic, so we recommend making it yourself. To create it, you can use products that you always have on hand.

Even the smallest children can play with soft plasticine, because it is very malleable and can take any shape. We offer a very simple recipe.

Necessary materials:

Manufacturing stages:

1. Place the dye in a small bowl.
2. Add sunflower oil, mix well with a teaspoon.
3. While continuing to stir the mixture, add a little water.
4. In a separate container, combine salt and flour. Add this mixture in small portions to a container with water and sunflower oil.
5. Mix the total mass well until you get plasticine.

How to make smart plasticine at home with your own hands

Smart plasticine is also called handgam. Its consistency is similar to chewing gum. It's a pity that you can't put it in your mouth. But playing with her is interesting and fun.

Necessary materials:

• 1 tbsp. PVA glue;
• food coloring packaging;
• 2 bottles of sodium tetraborate;
• stirring spatula;
• cooking container;
• essential oil for aroma.

Stages of work:

1. Pour PVA glue into a clean container. In order for the mass to be of high quality, choose only glue that is no more than 3 months old.
2. Add essential oil and food coloring, mix thoroughly to obtain a homogeneous mixture. Handgam is ready!

Important! Handgam should only be stored in the refrigerator, placed in a closed container. In other conditions it dries quickly.

If this does happen, moisten it with a small amount of water and knead it in your hands.

How to make ball plasticine with your own hands

Ball plasticine has a special, heterogeneous consistency, so it causes real delight in children. If your baby likes it too, make it at home.

Necessary materials:

• food coloring;
• 0.5 tbsp. cold water;
• 0.5 tbsp. hot water;
• 60 PVA glue;
• Styrofoam;
• 1 tbsp. l. Boers.

Stages of work:

1. Add 1 tbsp to a clean glass. spoon of borax, pour half a glass of hot water, set aside for a while.
2. Add 60 g of PVA glue to another glass and mix with a bag of dye.
3. Place the foam balls in a plastic bag, add the contents of two glasses, knead well with your hands.

There is another cooking option.

Necessary materials:

• PVA glue;
• sodium tetraborate;
• food coloring;
• tight package;
• polystyrene granules.

Stages of work:

1. Add polystyrene granules to a tight bag.
2. Fill the contents of the bag with glue, add dye, shake so that each component is evenly distributed.
3. As soon as the mass becomes homogeneous, add sodium tetraborate 1 drop at a time. The less it is, the denser the finished mass will be.

How to make magnetic plasticine at home

Handgam is used as the basis for magnetic plasticine. So that he acquires the ability to attract metal objects, you need to add a developer to it.

You can buy it at computer stores. It is used for refilling laser printers. The total mass needs to be mixed well and, of course, checked for magnetic properties.

Magnetic handgam retains its qualities even after several weeks. Of course, if you store it in a closed container on the refrigerator shelf. Otherwise, it dries quickly and cannot attract metal objects.

When stored in improper conditions, magnetic handgam becomes very thick and can be used as a sealant. In addition, it can be used to take impressions and molds of small objects.

Another unexpected property of magnetic plasticine is to collect small debris from contaminated objects. It is enough to run a piece of plasticine over the surface and it will be cleaned.

How to make sculpture plasticine at home

The main advantage of hand-made sculptural plasticine is its safety. You can make it for your children and not worry about it harming their health.

Method No. 1

Necessary materials:

• 30 g citric acid;
• 300 g flour;
• ½ liter of water;
• 25 ml vegetable oil;
• 300 g table salt;
• food coloring.

Stages of work:

1. Boil water, combine with a tablespoon of vegetable oil.
2. Mix in a bowl citric acid, salt and flour. Add hot water, knead the dough using a tablespoon.
3. Cool the mixture slightly and knead it thoroughly with your hands to obtain a homogeneous mass. Divide it into separate pieces. Make a small depression in each of them, add dye, and mix thoroughly.

Method No. 2

Necessary materials:

Stages of work:

1. Knead the dough from water, table salt and flour. Divide the total mass into parts. Paint each part a different color.
2. Place the plasticine in a plastic bag and store it in the refrigerator.

Method No. 3

Necessary materials:

• PVA glue;
• a glass of potato starch;
• 0.2 kg table salt;
• ¼ liter of clean water;
• 0.4 kg flour;
• a few drops of vegetable oil;
• food colors of different colors.

Stages of work:

1. Mix salt and flour in a deep container.
2. Pour in water and add dye of the desired color.
3. Slowly combine the 2 prepared mixtures and mix.
4. Add starch and mix well with your hands again.
5. Add oil and PVA glue one at a time. The consistency of the mixture should be elastic and harsh.
6. To store the plasticine, wrap it in a plastic bag or place it in a container with a lid. Store sculpture clay in the refrigerator.

Even if the plasticine does not dry for a long time, it is not used long time. Better make a new batch - it will be softer and more pliable than the previous one.

Method No. 4

This version of plasticine can be prepared in the microwave.

Necessary materials:

Stages of work:

1. Prepare a deep container. Avoid using a metal bowl or mug as they cannot be placed in the microwave.
2. Add all the necessary ingredients, mix thoroughly.
3. Cover the container with a lid and place in the microwave for 5 minutes.
4. Remove the container with plasticine and let cool. Transfer it to the table and knead. Store the mixture in a plastic container.

Methods of painting in different colors

Painting with acrylic paints

Acrylic paints can be used for painting figurines from different materials. Coloring plasticine is not much different from coloring polymer clay or salt dough. If you painted figures made from these materials, you can easily paint figures made from plasticine.

If you often sculpt figures from homemade plasticine, we recommend purchasing a large box of paints. Acrylic paints are sold in tubes. After use, they need to be tightened well so that they do not dry out prematurely.

Using basic colors you can create new shades. If you want to get some unusual color, try experimenting with basic tones.

You should also purchase brushes of different sizes for the job.

Stages of painting plasticine figures:

1. Apply the first coat of paint to the figurine using a large brush. Don't be afraid that you will distribute the dye unevenly - at this stage it's not a big deal. Let the first layer dry. Blot the figurine with a napkin. If there are uneven surfaces, paint them additionally with a brush. small size.
2. Use thicker paint to paint the details. This can only be done after the previous layer has completely dried.

Coloring with food coloring

This option is suitable for coloring plasticine at the stage of its creation. You can paint a piece of plasticine with several colors at once, and you will get a material that simply “plays with colors.”

Or you can divide the finished mass into several parts and paint each of them separately.

How to learn to sculpt from plasticine

Modeling from plasticine is one of the most favorite children's activities. However, it can be difficult for the youngest children to master this process. The parents’ task is to show and tell how to work with plasticine and what can be made from it. Take a few practical tips into account:

1. To get acquainted with modeling, choose soft plasticine that will be easy to sculpt from. To begin with, you can take a mass for modeling - it is very plastic, so children's fingers can handle it without any problems.
2. The first technique that kids need to master is pinching off small pieces. To make it more interesting for your child to do this, turn this process into a game. For example, green pieces can be used to make grass, blue pieces can be used to make raindrops, etc.
3. To help your child learn to feel the material, teach him how to knead. First, pinch off small pieces, and then gradually increase them.
4. The next stage is rolling out. Teach your child to sculpt flagella, sausages and balls from plasticine. After mastering this technique, the child will learn to sculpt snowmen, caterpillars, Smeshariki, etc.
5. Flattening. Children really like this technique, because with its help you can make ears for a bunny and a cat, a roof for a house, make a textured background, etc.

DIY plasticine will serve you for a long time if you follow the rules for storing it.

1. Homemade plasticine must be stored in the refrigerator. A container with a closed lid is suitable as a container. If you don't have it, just wrap it in plastic wrap.
2. If you have made multi-colored plasticine, it is convenient to store it in a container with partitions. Such containers are intended for food, but they can also be successfully used for storage. The pieces will not mix with each other, so they will retain their color and texture for a long time.
3. Empty paint jars are also suitable for storing multi-colored plasticine. They are compact and have a lid, so it is perfectly stored in them.

Homemade plasticine is a real find for mothers who love everything natural. It is safe, soft and flexible.

If you only include in the recipe food products, then the plasticine can even be eaten. At home, you can easily create smart, sculptural, ball and even magnetic plasticine!

More information about soft plasticine can be found in the following video.

We all know perfectly well what it is, but few know how and what plasticine is made from. Now we will take a closer look at the composition and production technology of plasticine.

WHAT IS THE ARTICLE ABOUT?

Plasticine composition

The composition of modern plasticine includes the following main components:

• Petrolatum
• Kaolin (clay)
• Paraffin
• Rosin
• Zinc white
• Pigment component

Now let's take a closer look at each component.

Petrolatum - a mixture of paraffin, ceresin and oil

Kaolin - white clay

Rosin is the solid part of resinous substances in coniferous trees trees, remaining after distillation of volatile substances from them - turpentine

Zinc white is a white zinc-based pigment that, when combined with binders(drying oil, vegetable oil) form white paints.

Pigment component- dye

Plasticine production at the factory

Most of the time in plasticine production technology, all components are thoroughly mixed. To begin, petrolatum, paraffin and rosin are heated and added to a large reactor boiler, which in turn is heated by steam. Also at this stage, zinc white is added so that the main pigment better colors the entire mixture. All this is mixed and gradually kaolin (clay) and a pigment component are added there.

Now this whole hot mixture will be stirred for an hour and a half, until an absolutely uniform mass is achieved. After which this entire mixture is poured into a hopper for cooling. In this hopper, a drum rotates, which is cooled from the inside. He dips a little into the plasticine and wraps a solid tape around himself, which hardens almost instantly.

Next, this tape enters the screw press and comes out of it as bars of the familiar plasticine with a wavy upper surface. This procedure occurs in parallel for each color, after which they all meet on a common conveyor, where they are distributed into packages.

Finished plasticine is also tested. They check it as follows: first, knead it for 3 minutes and make a sausage with a diameter of 1 centimeter, after which they bend it into a 90-degree angle; under such conditions, no cracks should form on the bend. Also, plasticine should not be sticky, should not stain the water or tear.

Types of plasticine

I would like to note that there are a large number of types of plasticine. I’ll tell you more about the most popular of them.

Classic plasticine- This is plasticine based on paraffin and chalk. This is domestic plasticine, which we all know.

Wax plasticine- the name speaks for itself. Softer than classic, so now it is more popular among children.

Sculpture plasticine- more solid appearance. The main application is the creation of sculptures for exhibitions. Available in 3 colors - gray, green, flesh. Once created, the figures are usually painted.

Ball plasticine— the target audience of this type is the youngest children. Made from many balls connected with special adhesive bonds. It won’t make any outstanding crafts, but it is very good at helping young children develop their motor skills.

Floating plasticine- twice as light as usual, which is why it gets its name.

Smart plasticine - has a liquid and solid form, does not stick, stretches, or tears. When interacting quickly, it behaves like a solid object, but for some time it is more like a liquid.

How to make plasticine at home?

To make plasticine at home you will need:

• • 2 cups of flour
  • 1 glass of salt
  • 1 glass of water
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon starch
  • food coloring or gouache
  • PVA glue

First, lightly mix the flour, salt and starch in the container. Dilute dye or gouache in water, vegetable oil and PVA glue. Gradually add this mixture to the flour and mix thoroughly. The dough should be very elastic.

How to make smart plasticine with your own hands?

The most important thing you need to create smart plasticine At home it’s PVA glue and sodium tetraborate. Sodium tetraborate is sold in every pharmacy and costs a penny. It is also recommended to add some kind of pigment, it can be like food coloring, maybe gouache or even brilliant green. The cooking process itself will not take much time. Pour PVA glue into a convenient container and mix with your dye until the mass is homogeneous in color, then gradually add sodium tetraborate, keep in mind that the more of it, the thicker and denser your “smart” plasticine will be.

In the section on the question How to make plasticine harden forever? Or rather, the plasticine figurine hardened forever. ?? given by the author Pencil the best answer is put it in the shade for a year, just like a stone!! !

Answer from 22 answers[guru]

Hello! Here is a selection of topics with answers to your question: How to make plasticine harden forever? Or rather, the plasticine figurine hardened forever. ??

Answer from Dementy[newbie]
Option 1: varnish Option 2: coat with epoxy, it is less susceptible to destruction

Answer from Kristina Vidnaya[guru]
construction varnish

Answer from Insu[master]
Buy epoxy glue, it is usually sold in hardware stores, but can also be found in office supplies. There are two tubes in the package. Nothing complicated, just follow the instructions. The figurine will be hard as a rock.

Answer from Whiplash[guru]
1) fill the figure with plaster so that there are holes left for filling. 2) melt the plasticine. 3) fill the vacated cavity with epoxy. 4) break the plaster and grind, polish the casting.

Answer from OLIA YUDINA[newbie]
First, put a piece of plasticine on a saucer (it won’t work with ready-made things). Add some water and put it in the microwave. Press the plasticine so that all the oil and water come out of it. Put it in the refrigerator. Do this operation several times.

Instructions

Clean periodically plasticine in a cold place, for example, in the refrigerator overnight. But this is not always convenient due to the constant need for crafts.

When producing large parts plasticine can be less plastic by mixing it with materials that are insensitive to heat. For example, these can be small pieces, or in plastic insulation. Cut the wire with scissors and mix thoroughly with plasticine ohm Or for a future product, use wire as a frame.

You can resort to the method of modification by modification chemical composition plasticine and before you start sculpting. To do this, place evenly in a saucer of water. plasticine thin pieces. Heat in a microwave oven until it becomes fluid, resembling oil paint.

Take out the saucer. Mix the resulting melt with water, and then mash this mixture by squeezing out excess water. Place the mixture in the cold or in freezer, and pour out the water and add new water. Repeat this several times, thereby essentially achieving gradual leaching of the plasticizers. As a result plasticine will become much harder.

Tip 2: Plasticine for the little ones - first steps in modeling

The baby's first acquaintance with plasticine should take place at the age of 1-1.5 years. Modeling is a great opportunity to spend time usefully, developing fine motor skills, spatial thinking and imagination.

The beginning of creativity

In order for your little one to enjoy sculpting, you need to choose high-quality, age-appropriate material. Plasticine for the little ones should be soft with juicy bright colors Moreover, it should not stick too much to your hands. But the most important thing is that it must be safe, because children often put everything in their mouth.

At first, you shouldn’t try to teach your child to make even “sausages” or “balls”; moreover, you shouldn’t try to master complex figures. You should start with one designed for the youngest, allowing him to independently consider and master new material for him. You shouldn’t give him all the colored blocks at once; a couple of pieces will be enough. It will be interesting for the baby to crush the plasticine, watching how it easily changes shape.

Mom will have to prepare for the fact that after the fun she will have to wash the child and scrub off the stuck plasticine from the tabletop and floor. To minimize cleanup, organize ahead of time. workplace using special boards for modeling. The floor under the chair can be covered with film or old newspaper.

Often mothers are mistaken, believing that after 3-4 introductory lessons, the baby will be ready for serious lessons. In fact, children under 3 years old are not at all interested in conscious creativity. Children simply sculpt and then look at what they have done; the process itself is important to them, not the end result. Therefore, you should not rush things; it is much more important to instill in your child an interest in creativity.

But this does not mean at all that the child needs to be sat down, given plasticine and left to his own devices. In this case, after a couple of days the child’s interest will disappear without a trace. Only joint creativity with parents or older brothers and sisters will help instill a love for this exciting process. Most importantly, the child must see that modeling is interesting not only to him, but also to adults.

Activities for kids

To interest your child, offer him interesting play activities. For example, to teach a toddler to pinch off pieces of plasticine, you can play with him like hens and chicks who want grains and ask the child to feed them. It will be interesting for the baby to tear off small pieces of plasticine and treat them to painted or toy birds.

Many children enjoy making “plasticine appliqués,” which are ideal for their first introduction to this material. There can be many variations of such a game. For example, a mother can draw a cloud, and the child makes raindrops with plasticine, or attaches leaves and fruits to the tree depicted by the mother. In addition, the baby may enjoy smearing soft plasticine on cardboard or thick paper in any order or coloring a picture drawn by an adult.

Crafts made from plasticine develop hand motor skills, so they are ideal for spending time with your child. In addition, they are educational in nature. First, the baby will observe the process, and then try to repeat the actions of the adult. In this case, you can accompany the work with a story about where the bird lives, what it eats, etc.

Necessary materials

To make a bird from plasticine, you need to prepare a stack, plasticine, a board or mat for modeling and the workbench itself. You will need plasticine in black, gray, red, yellow, and white colors.

Let's make a bird

First you need to take a small piece of black plasticine. Its size depends on what kind of bird you want to make - large, medium or small. Then the plasticine is rolled into a sausage shape. Next, the workpiece is bent, dividing into the torso and neck.

After which you need to bend the figure again - this is the future head of the bird. The ends of the craft must be sharpened - the part of the body, which is the basis for the tail, and the head.

After this, two balls are made from a contrasting piece of plasticine, which are proportional in size to the bird’s head. Ball eyes are attached to the head on both sides. Next, they should be flattened into disks.

A beak shaped like a cone or pyramid is molded from a ball of red plasticine. When the beak is ready, it is carefully attached to the bird's head so that its shape does not change.

On next stage the wings of a bird are molded. Take two balls of gray plasticine, flatten them, and use your fingers to make a droplet-shaped notch on them. After this, they are carefully attached to the body of the craft.

To make the tail, you need to roll out a sausage-shaped part from black plasticine. This element is made flat. If desired, it can be rounded, in the shape of two teeth or with a notch.

The tail is attached to the body. If desired, this detail can be highlighted using plasticine white. Small feathers in the form of flat droplets are made from it, which are attached to the tail. The plasticine bird is ready.

If it was planned to make a bullfinch, then the bird’s abdomen is highlighted using red plasticine. To do this, roll a small ball, flatten it and attach it to the body of the craft. Its edges are neatly smoothed.

Making a nest

To complete the action, you can build a nest for the bird. You will need to roll out 3 long thin sausages from plasticine. When they are ready, you should twist them into a snail, which needs to be shaped into a nest.

The picture will be completed with eggs on which the bird will sit. So that she is not lonely, you can mold a couple more bullfinches, which can be placed on a previously prepared plasticine stump.

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