We have all had experiences at some point in time with our beloved plastic jars of Play-Doh. Though the cost of the inexpensive “doh” has gone up, it is still a must-have for children and even adults! There are many activities and learning experiences that can come with Play-Doh. The Play-Doh “machines and molds” are fun and entertaining for your little one at home. In fact, one day I was sitting at home with my nephew, who is 3, and he was demanding that I play with him. Well, what to do? We were finished with the train track, cars and trucks, bubbles, the kid computer and so what is left? It was Play-Doh time. At first I thought oh noooo, its going to get all smooshy in the carpet and he is going to try to eat it. But I was very wrong! A simple Play-Doh activity entertained my nephew for more than an hour.
We bought the ABC letter molds so he could learn his ABCs with an activity. Of course he wanted to mix all of the doh up, which was still OK. So we sat there and made tons of ABCs and various other letters. Before you know it, we were singing along and he was so thrilled that he “made the ABCs” himself. Not only did we use the molds, but we made little animals such as birds, turtles, bears, cats, mice and many more. I think when children see a 3-D effect on interactive learning materials such as Play-Doh, they understand more. Sure, a coloring book is nice, but it is flat and simply does not always hold their attention for long.
So my little nephew, who I spend a lot of time with, was addicted to Play-Doh. He really enjoyed the first activity so I thought well, let’s see what other Play-Doh products are out there these days. We did some research together and we found the beloved updated version of “Dr. Drill and Fill.” This is a Play-Doh set that comes with a man’s head and his mouth opens so you can perform dental work. The set comes with some basic tools, including a battery operated “drill.” My nephew cried and cried until we finally bought a Dr. Drill and Fill. We found him at Walmart for $12.99. Not bad at all. Finally, when we got home, he was ecstatic to get to work. He began making his “molars, canines and incisors” with the white Play-Doh. Once the mouth is full of teeth, the next step is to drill in the cavities with the silver doh. He did this for hours. There also is an option to “roll on some braces” with a small tool that comes with the set. I think that the learning experience was very positive with this Play-Doh set. He still talks about how cavities can ruin one’s teeth and he is anxious to brush his teeth every day. He also loved mushing the doh around and making the different shapes of teeth with the molds.
There are many new ideas and concepts with Play-Doh. I would seriously consider buying your little ones some Play-Doh. If you are worried about the mess, simply put down an old sheet to protect your floors. I have recently seen the Kitchen Play-Doh sets, Presto Dots, Flower Pots and many more. Just remember that the doh does eventually harden, so if you want to keep it and reuse it is a good idea to put it back in the jar and maybe add a little water. I found myself playing with the beloved Play-Doh. Not only did it help my nephew’s motor skills, it relaxed my mind too! This inexpensive doh can be bought at drug stores, Walmart, Kmart, Target and some grocery stores. Don’t let the holidays pass you by without at least one jar of Play-Doh under the tree!