Homemade play dough

We had our first go at making play dough today. Up until now I couldn't see the point of making my own, but our shop-bought play dough has turned into one hard, murky brown lump and I really don't like the smell of it. The playgroup we've started going to provides its own sparkly play dough so I decided it was worth a shot. Apart from the colour (we put in red food colouring but it is still pastry coloured!), it turned out really well. I think the boys were influenced by the fact we made it in the kitchen and mostly cut it up with pastry cutters or turned it into pretend sausages rolls. A even joined in although, after hitting it a few times with a plastic knife, he spent the rest of the time throwing the play dough accessories on the floor.