Combine 2 cups flour and 1 cup salt. Add 1 cup water and 1 1/2 tablespoons oil. Mix and knead well. If too stiff, add more water. If too sticky, add more flour. For colored dough, add food coloring to the water before combining it with other ingredients. Adding a few drops of peppermint oil or extract to the dough will "spice up" the kitchen as the kids are creating. This mixture keeps very well in an airtight container. "Creations" will dry hard within a few days and then can be painted.

For Christmas Ornaments: Omit oil. Roll dough out about 1/4 inch thick, then use Christmas cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Using a nail, make a hole in the top of each ornament for thread. For textures, you can use a fork to add a design pattern, or add more dough to the ornaments by forming small scraps into shapes, moistening them with water and attaching them to the ornaments. Bake on a cookie sheet at 325 degrees for 30 minutes until hard. Test for hardness with a spoon. When cool varnish to protect from moisture. When dry, draw design with white glue and sprinkle with glitter or paint on designs. When dry, slip heavy thread through the holes and tie a knot to make a loop. Sign on the back with the child's name and year. Warn children not to eat these ornaments!