WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH PLAY-DOH?

WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH PLAY-DOH? 

When I was a kid, Play-Doh was forbidden in our house. My sisters and I would have to wander on over a few blocks down to toy with the vibrant, glorious clay at our Grandma’s house. Those memories of Play-Doh dreams are so engraved into my childhood as merely formless, colorful clay with endless possibilities. Well, turns out, one suspicion was correct: the endless possibilities part. When Play-Doh was first introduced in the 1930’s as a wallpaper cleaner, sticking to all the little dirt and grime particles tainting the grace of the print that embellished living rooms and hallways without damaging it. Brothers Noah and Joseph McVicker, who worked for their family’s soap company, accidentally invented the perfect modeling clay for children. Kay, their sister-in-law and school teacher, suggested the modeling compound could be repurposed as a children’s handicraft. {Discount code: SOAP} Once introduced to students, the putty’s reputation of being a boring, ole’ home cleaner was one of the past. In 1956, the phenomenon began after Play-Doh was demonstrated at an educational convention and became available in department stores. Play-Doh has sold more than 3 billion cans since its debut as a toy. 

Just as our wallpaper comes in many different colors and prints, Play-Doh also comes in styles of its own. Play-Doh's original white color was soon joined by red, yellow, and blue, and today you can create the Play-Doh rainbow of your wildest dreams with more than 60 shades available to choose from. Talk about an origin story.

Ever consider what your imagination you held as a child has to offer you and the space around you? Whether you remember opening a little bakery with bright blue and green Play-Doh croissants or decorating your walls in band posters from a teen magazine subscription, we would love to help you reconnect with the imagination that has made you, you + surround you in a space that honors that child-like playfulness and creativity.