Mudworks: Creative Clay, Dough, and Modeling Experiencesvolume 1

I guess this book has been around since the late 80's, but it's new to me! My kids and I are on #12 of the 30 playdough possibilities. Cinnamon Dough has been my daughter's favorite, while Shampoo Dough is my son's. I like plain old salt/flour playdough with color added. This book has all the recipies you will ever need for doughs, and other squishy modeling compounds. We haven't tried any plaster of Paris projects yet, but we will! I think we will try the one that you do at the beach -- making some kind of sand casting.

I have loved this book for a long time - TONS of great activities and kids really love getting squishy. The Peanut Butter Playdough recipe is worth it alone! Now I heard that Bright Ring Publishing is putting this book out in a Bilingual Spanish Edition! I can't wait to use it in the classroom! What a wonderful resource and bold move! Bravo! And thank you from all of my Spanish-speaking students! They will love to see projects in their own language!

This book is far better organized than some activity books by other authors. Every activity has a symbol in the corner of the page indicating the age range for each project. Additional symbols for cooking, no cooking, air dry, bake dry, edible, caution, and "adult supervision always necessary" are used when applicable. These symbols make it very easy to flip through the book to find a good project for your child(ren). It is especially useful when trying to find projects for children of mixed ages. The layout of the directions is excellent with one project per page, materials clearly listed, mixture process easily explained, and then many optional variations and ideas to further change or expand on the basic project. Lots of dough's, modeling compounds, homemade beads, plaster and papier mache projects. A section with edible items such as dog biscuits, pie crust, gingerbread and pretzels. At 150 pages you can imagine there is a lot here to keep you busy for a long time. Many of the projects can be made with ingredients most people have on hand at home. Some projects are fast and easy and others are more complex.I would highly recommend this for every parent, teachers of young children, and even babysitters. This would make a great birthday gift as an alternative to toys, for 2 year-olds and up. I have found this very helpful on days when my children seem bored with our usual daily routine and on rainy days. As a homeschooling mother I have a lot of projects to do with my children, many of which I know are usually done in preschool or kindergarten. WONDERFUL!

Yep, 31 playdough recipes alone in chapter one ... some bake, some air dry, some handmix, some cook on the stove. Where to begin? Anything squishy and clay-like is found in these pages, from plaster of Paris, to papier-mache, to mud, to flour and salt clay, and more. This book is a basic for any home with kids, and that includes grandparents!

Mudworks has it all. All of the recipes are easy to follow and most ingredients are right in the home. Doing home education with my 8 and 10 year old, this book allows them to cover art in a truly unique way and practice with measurements at the same time. The recipes for doughs really open their creative nature. Many textures and medians are used to offer a variety from basic clay for young children to sand and marble types for older kids. Most are one bowl recipes, making clean-up very easy. Even paper mache is covered in a varity of ways. Those creative juices kick in as soon as the book comes off the shelf. Mine (children)have gone from "pastry chef" to "pizza maker" to sculpture for the 22nd century. Let the imagining begin!!!