Thursday, September 15, 2016

Preschooler vs. Playdoh

Preschoolers, and other young children, love playdoh. It’s perfect for their tiny hands and imaginative hearts, and it’s safe and non-toxic, which means it’s perfect for parents too. Unfortunately, playdoh has the nasty habit of getting stuck where it shouldn’t. It ingrains itself into carpets under little feet, litters the kitchen table, and, always, always drys out right when your toddler is in melt down mode, and you thought it’d be your saving grace.

We here at Sparkle thought we'd do a little research for you, since tomorrow (9/16/16) is National Playdoh Day, and see what we could find out about this popular product that children love so much. We broke it down into two different scenarios, so no matter how playdoh comes up today, Sparkle has you covered! 



Scenario: Preschooler vs. Playdoh vs. Carpet otherwise known as "Total Disaster"

According to an official release by Hasbro, "To remove PLAY-DOH compound from carpet or fabrics, allow it to dry completely, and then loosen with a stiff brush. It may be necessary to vacuum clean or wash with gentle soap and cold water. You may need to repeat the process in order to completely remove the PLAY-DOH compound." 

Scenario: Playdoh all dried out? Tired of watching PAW Patrol for the hundredth time and have an hour you need to fill? No problem -- make your own Vegan Play Dough! 

It’s never too early to teach your child to be sustainable and to make their global footprint a little smaller. Vegan Mamma has a great recipe for Vegan Play Dough, which we're going to include here. If you'd like to see her blog, and other cool vegan recipes, definitely check her out!

PLAY DOUGH
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup salt
  • 2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 2 Tbsp veg oil (Vegan Mamma used canola oil)


"Combine the above ingredients and stir over medium heat until your dough starts to pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove and knead until it becomes elastic. Then divide the dough (if using multiple colors) and mix in the food coloring, or you could go more natural for the color and use things like beet juice, juice from frozen berries, etc." 

We love that you can avoid artificial coloring as well. Making natural choices when your children are young, can really benefit them in the long run. We are their first role models, after all! 

So, there you have it!  Playdoh is such an integral part of childhood, and we hope that these tips alleviate some of the natural stress that comes with raising children. Keep your head up guys -- we know that you're awesome parents, even if it doesn't always feel that way. We'll make it through, one day at a time!