National Play-Doh Day Is September 16: Celebrate With Your Kids 🎉

Play-Doh has been a staple of childhood and creativity for generations, sparking endless hours of imaginative play. Whether it's sculpting animals, crafting pretend food, shaping colorful flowers, or creating something completely their own, kids - and even parents - can't get enough of this timeless sensory fun. It's so much more than a toy; it's an experience.

I don't know about you, but I can smell the Play-Doh just thinking about it. I loved Play-Doh as a child, and so did my boys. You don't need anything but the dough, but add a few tools and you can watch them take their creations to the next level. You don't need anything fancy, anything you find in the kitchen will work, even those extra utensils from last night's take-out will do. That said, there are some pretty cool accessories if you dare, my fave growing up was the barbershop one that grew hair for you to cut. My boys like the ones with molds for making food or the extruders with plates that made different patterns, I confess I loved those too, but DON'T forget to clean them out or you might not be able to use them again.

National Play-Doh Day, September 16, is the perfect time to dig into the history of this beloved toy and try your hand at some easy DIY play dough recipes you can make at home with your kids. Celebrate this classic children's activity and get ready to roll, squish, and shape your way to endless family fun!

Share your favorite Play-Doh memories with your kids . . . 

The History of Play-Doh

Like many other classic toys, there's an accidental history behind the creation of Play-Doh, dating back decades. The "dough" was originally created in the 1930s by the Kutol company as a popular wallpaper cleaner. As time went on fewer homes were heated by soot-producing coal, so there was less need for wallpaper cleaner. As fewer homes had wallpaper, the company needed to rethink its business. In the 1950s, a family member introduced the pliable dough to her students as part of a classroom project, and the children began using it for modeling and creating art. This led to the wallpaper cleaner being re-imagined, re-purposed, and re-packaged into the colorful dough we know today.

According to the official Hasbro - Play-Doh website, Play-Doh brand modeling compound is made primarily of flour, water and salt - although it's not a food item, so don't let your kids eat it. When it was first sold in stores in 1956, it came in a large can and only one color, off-white. It would be four years later before smaller cans would be introduced in stores. In 1957, additional colors made their appearance, including red, yellow and blue Play-Doh. Over the decades other colors, including some special edition hues, made their appearances. In 1972, sixteen years after its debut, the 500 millionth can of Play-Doh rolled out of the factory. Over the years, Hasbro has reported that more than 950 million pounds of Play-Doh - more than 2 billion cans - have been made. And that number has surely grown since then! My family alone has gone through what feels like hundreds of pounds of Play-Doh over the years, so when I think about more than 2 billion cans being made, I can't even imagine how much Play-Doh that really is! Since its introduction in 1956, Play-Doh has become one of the world's most recognizable children's toys.

Celebrate National Play-Doh Day! Grab a few cans and see what you can create.

Oh, and Mom? Don't worry about Play-Doh making a mess. You can easily pick up the small pieces of Play-Doh with the larger ones. And if it gets in the carpet? Simply let it dry and brush the pieces away with a stiff-bristled brush. Then use your hands or a small vacuum to sweep up the small pieces. Be sure NOT to use water to clean up your Play-Doh as it will make it more difficult to remove from surfaces.

Read more about the history of Play-Doh:

• The Accidental Invention of Play-Doh

FatCamera from Getty Images Signature via Canva

DIY Play Dough Recipe

Don't have any cans of Play-Doh available? You can still celebrate with an easy homemade dough.

Here's what you'll need: 

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup salt
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• ½-1 cup cold water
• 2 drops food coloring

And just four simple steps: