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The serious business of choosing Play-DohFeb 10 '01 Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line Go to store and look for cans labeled Play-Doh. Rainbow pack (8 colors) is a good bet. Of, just make your own. Play-Doh has come a long way baby since 1956 when the modeling goo was introduced by Rainbow Crafts of Cinncinati at the Woodward & Lothrop Dept Store in Washington, DC. Back then you could only get Play-Doh in a 1 1/2 pound can and in off-white. Who would have thought this would be a favorite toy for years and years? Today Play-Doh sells about 95 million cans per year (with more than 2 billion cans sold since 1956). If you took all that Play-Doh and ran it through the fun factory which makes a long snake out of the doh, then you could circle that around the earth 300 times. I am not sure who took the time to do the math on that, but certainly we have a lot of Play-Doh floating around (or perhaps stuck in shag carpet circa 1970s). It did not take Play-Doh long to see that off-white is not the best color for kids. They hired on Captain Kangaroo to hawk the 3 can set with yellow, red, and blue in 1958 and then added back the white the next year for a 4 packer. The rainbow pack was introduced in 1983 with the four origninal colors plus 4 new ones and is still the best selling of the line. I would count the rainbow as my top pick, since it has the color varieties which can also be mixed and mashed up to make yet other colors including the grody brown which looks like an accident on the floor. Play-Doh also has gold and silver and then some sparkle colors as well as some smelly flavored lines. These I like better in the small party canister sizes since it is harder to do as much with the specialty colors. You can buy play sets to go with the Play-Doh. The first and in my opinion the best is the fun factory. You make shapes and cut outs with that set. You can use your imagination more with the generic pieces made with the factory. Other play sets include one to make McDonalds food which do taste very much like the real thing. Fortunately Play-Doh is non toxic and can be eaten. I would not suggest eating the Play Doh after it has been handled, because my mother always said that you never know where those hands have been. If I am going to eat something dirty, then it will be chocolate that falls on the floor (after I have blown it off of course). Some companies have tried to copy Play-Doh, but I find the knock offs to be harder in texture and more prone to dry out. Play-Doh dries out too, but the cans with lids keep it nice if you remember to put it back in the cans. Play-Doh has carefully guarded the secret Play-Doh recipe over all these years. If you want to try a Play-Doh recipe and make your own, then my mom gave me this recipe. 2 cups plain flour 2 cups cold water 1 cup salt 2 Tbsp vegetable oil 4 tsp cream of tartar (white powdery stuff in the spice section) food coloring or pack of Kool-aid for good smell and color Cook on low to medium heat while stirring all the time. Cook until it makes a lump like thick mashed potatoes. Dump out and let cool down. Then knead until it feels like Play-Doh. Store the dough in air tight baggies or in old Play-Doh cans. This makes a little over 2 pounds and lasts very well. I'm not sure who needs to know how to choose Play-Doh, but I think any kid could take you to the toy isle and show you Play-Doh. It does not even take a rocket scientist to make Play-Doh.  |
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by elzora
by popsrocks
