DIY Playdough Electrical Circuits

Conductive dough: flour, salt, water, cream of tartar

Insulating dough: flour, sugar, oil, water

LED lights (5mm standard)

Battery pack (4xAA batteries)

Alligator clip wires

Cook conductive dough on the stove: flour, lots of salt, water, cream of tartar. The salt is what conducts electricity.

Mix insulating dough cold: flour, sugar, oil. No salt. Sugar doesn't conduct.

Shape two conductive lumps with an insulating piece between them.

Push LED legs into the conductive lumps — one leg in each lump.

Clip battery wires to each conductive lump.

Flip the switch. The LED lights up.

Now reshape the conductive dough into creatures, buildings, or art — keeping the circuit live.

The conductive dough carries electricity because dissolved salt ions flow freely. The insulating dough blocks current because sugar doesn't ionize.

If the LED doesn't light, check polarity — the longer leg is positive and must connect to the positive wire.

Try adding multiple LEDs in series and parallel to learn about circuit types.

The squishy, reshapeable nature of the circuit makes this a uniquely tactile electronics lesson.

This is the same curriculum used by MIT's Lifelong Kindergarten group for teaching electronics through play.