#886 Did you know Play-Doh started out as…

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There are many scents that bring back memories and a smile to my face and that of Play-Doh is certainly one of them.

Play-doh cardboard can

I remember playing with Play-Doh as I was growing up. It came in those little cardboard cans with the lids that were sometimes so hard to remove. They come in plastic cans now though I suspect the lids are still hard to remove. I only had a few colors and I tried to mix them to make new colors but was never successful at it. Now they offer colors like rose red, purple paradise, garden green and blue lagoon.

Did you know Play-Doh was originally used to clean soot and coal residue from wallpaper. Hosewives would take the compound and rub it on the wallpaper until all the soot was removed. After World War II, with the transition from coal-based home heating to natural gas along with the introduction of washable vinyl-based wallpaper, the market for wallpaper cleaning putty dropped.

In 1957 Play-Doh ads were telecast on Captain Kangaroo, Ding Dong School, and Romper Room. (I was on Romper Room with Soccoro Serrano as Ms. Soco, many years later.)

play-doh balls

More than two billion cans of Play-Doh have been sold with no let up in sight and in 2005 Play-doh was being sold in 75 countries around the world at 95 million cans a year. Imagine that… 95 million cans! Is there a toy more succesful? I don’t know. In the United States, more than 6,000 stores carry Play-Doh not to mention you can buy it online at many different locations.

If you would like to make your own Play-Doh there are plenty of recipes here at Cooks.com. The basic ingredients are –
2 cups flour
2 cups warm water
1 cup salt
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon cream of tartar
Probably stuff you have around the house already and I bet you can add food coloring to make whatever color you like.

To mark the 50th anniversary of Play-Doh, Demeter Fragrance Library created a limited-edition fragrance inspired by Play-Doh’s odor for “highly-creative people, who seek a whimsical scent reminiscent of their childhood.” Hey, that’s me!

play-doh tool

I remember also having these cool accessories to go along with my cans of Play-doh. There was this one that stands out for me. It was like a pasta maker and I could make strands of different shapes and then cut those shapes with the little plastic knife. Later I got the The Play-Doh Fuzzy Pumper Barber & Beauty Shop where I could make funky haircuts and style them on the plastic head.

In 1998 Play-Doh was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame at The Strong in Rochester, New York and National Play-Doh Day is observed on September 16. In 1991, Hasbro became Play-Doh’s new owner and continues to manufacture it today through its Playskool division.

play doh drums

Have you ever played with Play-doh or made it yourself? Share your thoughts in the comments. Would love to hear from you.

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28 Replies to “#886 Did you know Play-Doh started out as…”

  1. Playing with Play Doh was a favorite activity for my 3 children and the hosts of their friends I entertained, so this post brings back happy memories. I’d always make it myself and the kids loved helping me.

    We had the pasta maker too but part of the fun for them was finding things in the kitchen and toys that could make different shapes.

    I didn’t know about it being used as a cleaner but it makes sense. Blue Tack is handy for that too.
    Sue Bride recently posted…PAC Power Into Your Blogging BuzzMy Profile

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  4. Thank you for bringing nostalgic smiles with your sweet article Troy!! I remember being awed by the Playdoh pastamaker and the barbershop commercials!

    With none in the house, I didn’t have a chance to explore the possibilities of Playdoh as a child but as an adult, i am gonna make up for it by exploring sculpting…

    Oh and that little playdoh drumkit is darling… <3
    littlewoo recently posted…I Will Live For YouMy Profile

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  7. As a father of a toddler, yeps, we’re always in need of constant Play-Doh supply. I, on the other hand, am always more than willing to play along. It takes me back to my childhood! 🙂

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    • It seems to be a common thing with this site and the posts I write. Things from before adulthood and mortgages and lawyers and all that are the things that make me smile the most.
      Troy S. recently posted…LegacyMy Profile

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  18. this is really amazing, how can you people manage to get stuff like this? Man, this is really worth reading and I am going to bookmark your blog for this. Keep updating us.

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  19. I was curious if you ever considered changing the layout of your site? It’s very well written; I love what you’ve got to say. But maybe you could a little more in the way of content so people could connect with it better. You’ve got an awful lot of text for only having one or 2 pictures. Maybe you could space it out better?

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