I posted this picture over at Instagram earlier today: Trying to sell her (anti-play-dough) mom on the awesomeness of this “36 Piece Dough Go Around” she chose as her raffle prize at Young Hunters Day this year… I think we will be heading straight outside as soon as we put it together!
It was way too hot to play outside so we covered the table with a plastic table cloth and broke open the play-doh. Play-doh ranks somewhere near the top of my least favorite toys list, probably due to the time I was picking it out of the carpet one winter back when our home was still only 1,000 square feet, mostly carpeted, and I only had three small toddlers… That was probably about ten years ago. It all went in the trash after that, and other than buying some for a recent baby shower game and some play-doh that made it’s way into our home from a friend in 2010 (when Rose was only a few months old) we’ve stuck with just Modeling Beeswax. (We all love Modeling Beeswax and the kids have made all sorts of things including Carnivorous Plants, Firemen, and ever Our Lord’s Resurrection. Not to mention all the girls creations for many of the letters Along the Alphabet Path.) Anyways, we didn’t have any plans for today so Rose convinced me to finally break open her prize.
Rose wasn’t the only one who enjoyed the Play-doh.
In no time all seven of the kids were playing together!
The older boys looked like they were having even more fun than the little ones!
It kept them all busy for hours and was definitely worth the mess.
i always preferred the playdoh i made myself. it was a quick cooked one and the only ingredient it needed i didn't always have on hand was cream of tartar. it always seemed to clean up more easily.
2014-07-03 12:07:35
We are playdough lovers, although I am thinking of getting the modeling beeswax because the kids like to leave out their creations and they just dry out and crumble. Homemade playdough is great and you can customize it. We colored our last batch with Kool Aid, so it smelled great, too. I never have cream of tartar either and it still turns out fine. I really am beginning to think that I could just get my kids little craft items and art supplies and they would never look for another toy again–they just don't know it. We got trapped inside yesterday while strong thunderstorms rolled through, forcing us off the beach. Since we had friends with us, I had to come up with something for them to do, quickly!! I pulled out the box of Popsicle sticks and two bags of fabric scraps and the kids entertained themselves for the rest of the afternoon making tiny dolls out of felt and houses out of Popsicle sticks. One question about the beeswax, do the colors blend and get muddled like playdough? That's my only gripe with playdough, I don't like muddled colors.
2014-07-03 12:32:53
I'm curious if any of your readers from colder climates have tried modeling beeswax? I ordered it a few years ago, and we can never make it warm enough to be pliable–it is basically impossible to use.
2014-07-03 13:16:23
Play dough is also not one of my favorites but when it is too cold (Southern difference I guess) I let them play with it inside but only on the tiled floor (I feel your pain over the carpet, been there ugh). Otherwise, if someone gifts us play dough it is a strictly outside play time. Homemade play dough isn't quite a sticky and we do enjoy it!
2014-07-03 13:33:34
I think Play-doh has tremendous therapy value for big kids — and I'm not talking occupational or physical therapy. I think they just love being little kids again for a while. Who doesn't? Cute, cute kids.
2014-07-03 14:12:00
LOL this post was adorable. Put a big smile on my face. My kids love playdoh. My son asks for it for Christmas/bday. We have playdoh seasons though *achem*…..so that it is not too cold or hot to do it out in the garage!!!!! Yeah I am with you. I do not allow it in the house except for rare ocassions where they must work on large, old cookie sheets. Thanks for the fun post today!
2014-07-03 15:35:48
Love the smiles!!
2014-07-03 19:40:27
Jessica, I love your observation that play dough is the toy you dislike the most! That made me laugh as I feel the same, but periodically allow it at the kitchen table , over a hard floor. We also use Plasticine, which ai don't think you have in the US. It does not dry or harden but you need to take care of it sticking to things. I am always amazed at how creative the children are making miniature items! It shows us how Gid made us creative beings, we need to make things with our hands.
2014-07-03 22:41:57
Okay… We are definitely going to have to try and make our own play dough now. Do you have a favorite recipe? I'm pretty sure I have some cream of tartar, but I'll have to check. 🙂
2014-07-04 03:27:24
Yes, the Modeling Beeswax is great for leaving out, and our colors don't seem to get muddled much at all. I have a large jar of Modeling Beeswax we've collected over the years and I've never had to throw any away. It sounds like you had a fun afternoon yesterday, despite the thunderstorms! Crafts can be so much fun!
2014-07-04 03:29:38
It can be challenging (yes, even impossible!) to work with if you aren't able to warm it up. I'll have to look through the archives… I am pretty sure I remember commenters leaving suggestions in my comment box at one point a number of years ago. If I can find the post I'll come back and leave the link.
2014-07-04 03:31:12
I'm curious to try making homemade play dough. Between all the crumbs and muddled colors the play dough just doesn't last very long!
2014-07-04 03:34:17
After seeing the boys having so much fun yesterday afternoon, I completely agree! 🙂
2014-07-04 03:35:54
Thank you, Jamie! I actually hovered over the publish button for a few minutes last night wondering if I should share the post or not. . . Who wants to see pictures of my seven kids just playing? No inspiring words or ideas… Then I reminded myself again that this blog is still our family scrapbook of sorts, and these were memories I wanted to record here and hit that publish button. Thank you (all!) for the kind comments! 🙂
2014-07-04 03:41:49
Thank you! 🙂
2014-07-04 03:47:27
I'm so glad to hear that I'm not the only one that isn't a huge fan of play dough! 🙂 I've never heard of Plasticine. Is it similar to Sculpey Modeling Clay? (We have used modeling clay before and a couple of the kids especially love creating crafts using Sculpey.) I'll have to see if I can find some of the Plasticine!
2014-07-04 03:49:27
My kids love play-do (or any of the knock off brands) If bits get on the floor, resist the urge to clean up immediately. If you can hold off for an hour or so the crumbs dry out and are easier to sweep up 🙂
2014-07-04 14:10:11
That is what I ended up doing and I didn't have any trouble cleaning up. So much easier than the last time!
2014-07-04 17:53:02
Your kids are so creative. It's great to see.
2014-07-04 20:20:15
As a kid, a LONG time ago,we played with plasticene in school. I remember it being very malleable and not as crumbly as play dough and with lots of different colours. But I grew up in Canada. Maybe it wasn't used in the U.S.
2014-07-04 20:31:28
Thank you, Dena! I'm always amazed by their creativity! 🙂
2014-07-05 19:01:58
LOL! I think it has been about the same length of time since I let me kids play with playdoh for the exact same reason, although I think my house might have been 1100 square feet at that time with a postage stamp back yard. I have made it on occasion but that set looks way too cool for one time use!
2014-07-11 14:43:56