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Play-Doh is basically nostalgia tucked inside a bright yellow container: the salty smell, primary colors, and endless opportunities. For more than 60 years, parents and kids have turned this moldable dough into handmade creations of all kinds. In honor of National Play-Doh Day on September 16, we've rounded up the most interesting (and unknown!) facts about the #1 reusable modeling dough.
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1
Play-Doh wasn't intended to be a kid's toy.
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According to AdWeek, Kutol, a Cincinnati-based soap company, was struggling amid the Great Depression. To revive their business, Cleo and Joseph McVicker created a product — which we now know as Play-Doh — to clean wallpaper from soot and smoke (it was the age of coal, after all). It worked — until vinyl wallpaper, oil, and gas entered the market in the 50s. Around this time, Joseph's sister-in-law brought Kutol's wallpaper cleaning dough into her classroom to make clay Christmas ornaments. And, well, the rest is history.
First came white. Then came primary colors (red, yellow, and blue). But later came every color of the rainbow (plus 50 more!). In 2000, a study by Hasbro found that the four most popular colors were Rose Red, Garden Green, Blue Lagoon, and Robin's Egg Blue.
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3
Captain Kangaroo brought Play-Doh into everyone's home.
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Bob Keeshan, the man behind the CBS children's show Captain Kangaroo, loved Play-Doh just as much as the rest of us. After being rebranded as a kid's toy in 1956, Play-Doh was slowly (but surely) growing until McVicker made a deal with Keeshan: If Keeshan used Play-Doh on his show once a week, he'd receive 2% of the sales generated, according to Business Insider. In no time, the product became a household staple.
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4
It's made with food ingredients.
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Still, we don't know exactly what's inside the dough. Here's what we do know: The non-toxic dough is primarily a mixture of water, salt, and flour. It's also free of peanuts and dairy.
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5
You can see a larger-than-life Play-Doh in Disney.
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If you stay at Disney's Pop Century Resort, you're in for a treat. The hotel, which has a mid-1900's theme, features a vintage Play-Doh container, including Play-Doh Pete. (Good ol' Pete, the original face of the product, was cycled out a few years back.)
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6
There's even a Play-Doh line geared toward BIG kids.
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There's even a Play-Doh line geared toward BIG kids.
Most Play-Doh toys are made for children ages 3 and up. Once your kid hits the second grade, they might feel too cool to play with it. Enter Dohvinci, Play-Doh's line of designer craft kits for ages 6 and up. Art easels, design studios, and spin studios will bring your kid's Picasso dreams — and love of color — to life.
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7
It can actually be removed from carpet very easily.
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Art projects are a recipe for disaster when it comes to your home. Thankfully, Play-Doh can be wiped away without using cleaning supplies. To remove from carpet, simply let the dough dry completely and loosen it with a stiff brush. That's all, folks!
The best way to show that you're truly a child at heart is to wear the nostalgic scent of year's past. Yep, even the salty, musky fragrance that Play-Doh became known for. The perfume was released in honor of the dough's 50th anniversary — but hasn't left the market since.
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9
Prince Charles is a fan.
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When visiting young patients at Great Ormond Street Hospital, Prince Charles got in on the action by rolling green dough and crafting sculptures with the kids. He even asked one mom if her son grinds the dough on the carpet. Perhaps a memory from Prince Harry and Prince William's early days?
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10
And so is the rest of the world.
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Everyone uses Play-Doh at some point. So much so, that if you made a big ball of all the Play-Doh ever created, it would weigh more than 700 million pounds. That also translates to more than 2 billion cans of this colorful clay. Woah.
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11
There's a Play-Doh sculpture on sale for $20 million.
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Famed artist Jeff Koons's massive Play-Doh sculpture, which was inspired by his son, went up for auction in May 2018 for a mere $20 million. While it looks realistic, the sculpture was made with aluminum in authentic Play-Doh colors from 1994 — not actual dough — over the course of two decades.
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12
Play-Doh was inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame.
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In 1998, Play-Doh became an official member of the Toy Hall of Fame. It was a big year in toys: Play-Doh was one of many children's favorites inducted, including LEGO, Barbie, Crayola Crayons, and Monopoly.
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The toy has even made its way into star-studded movies.
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The toy has even made its way into star-studded movies.
What can you do with this moldable, colorful clay? Pretty much everything. New seasons call for new Play-Doh products, including this brand-new Play-Doh Kitchen Creations Toaster set. Beyond the classic line we all know and love, Play-Doh also has specific collections for every kid (or ya know, crafty adult) in your life: Kitchen Creations, Shape & Learn, Disney Jr., and more.
Amanda Garrity is a lifestyle writer and editor with over seven years of experience, including five years on staff at Good Housekeeping, where she covered all things home and holiday, including the latest interior design trends, inspiring DIY ideas and gift guides for any (and every) occasion. She also has a soft spot for feel-good TV, so you can catch her writing about popular shows like Virgin River, Sweet Magnolias, Hallmark Channel’s When Calls the Heart and more.