Play-Doh is a modeling compound for young children to make arts and crafts projects. The product was first manufactured in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, as a wallpaper cleaner in the 1930s. [1] Play-Doh was then reworked and marketed to Cincinnati schools in the mid-1950s. Play-Doh was demonstrated at an educational convention in 1956 and prominent department stores opened retail accounts. [2] Looking at key consumer insights over the past couple of years, we have seen a growing desire for new ways for children to express their creativity, and cultural trends, like the viral sensation slime has become amongst today’s kids and tweens, helped inspire the launch for this year,” Adam Kleinman, Hasbro’s vice president of global brand marketing, told the HuffPost in September. More than two billion cans of Play-Doh were sold between 1955 and 2005, [1] and, in 2005, Play-Doh was being sold in 75 countries at 95 million cans a year. [1] In the United States, more than 6,000 stores carry Play-Doh. [13] To mark Play-Doh's fiftieth anniversary, Demeter Fragrance Library created a limited-edition fragrance inspired by Play-Doh's distinctive odor for "highly-creative people, who seek a whimsical scent reminiscent of their childhood." [2]

Advertisements promoting Play-Doh on influential children's television shows in 1957 furthered the product's sales. [1] Since its launch on the toy market in the mid-1950s, Play-Doh has generated a considerable amount of ancillary merchandise such as the Fun Factory. [3] History [ edit ] Origin [ edit ] Objects made out of Play-Doh. In 1960, the Play-Doh Fun Factory (a toy press that extrudes the compound in various shapes) was invented by Bob Boggild and Bill Dale. [1] The Play-Doh Fuzzy Pumper Barber & Beauty Shop of 1977 and Mop Top Hair Shop of 1986 featured a figurine whose extruded "hair" could be styled. a b c d e f g h i j k l Walsh, Tim (2005). "Play-doh". Timeless Toys: Classic Toys and the Playmakers Who Created Them. Kansas City: Andrews McMeel Publishing. pp.115–120. ISBN 978-0-7407-5571-2. Archived from the original on 2023-07-31 . Retrieved 2016-02-19. A petroleum additive gives the compound a smooth feel, and borax prevents mold from developing. [3] Play-Doh contains some wheat and may cause allergic reactions in people who are allergic to wheat gluten. It is not intended to be eaten. [12] Related merchandise [ edit ] Play-Doh Fun Factory Phil Ament. "Play-Doh History – Invention of Play-Doh". Ideafinder.com. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011 . Retrieved May 23, 2011.

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a b c Sobey, Edwin J.C.; Woody Sobey (2008). The Way Toys Work: The Science Behind the Magic 8 Ball, Etch A Sketch, Boomerang, and More. Chicago Review Press. p.96. ISBN 978-1-55652-745-6. Archived from the original on 2023-07-31 . Retrieved 2016-02-19.

One of Play-Doh’s more endearing attributes is its distinctive smell. Anyone who has popped open a can of the molding compound easily recognizes its olfactory qualities. Children of all ages enjoy a fresh whiff of that inviting aroma emanating from a nontoxic mixture of flour, water, salt, borax and mineral oil. The product line branched out in 1960 with the introduction of the Play-Doh Fun Factory, a toy press that allowed the compound to be pumped out in different shapes. Other line extensions included Animal Ark, Make a Meal Sub Shop and Dr. Drill & Fill, though none had the lasting ability of the Fun Factory, which is still sold today. a b c Wilson, Tracy V. (19 July 2000). "How Play-Doh Modeling Compound Works". How Stuff Works. Archived from the original on 19 June 2017 . Retrieved February 19, 2009. Kutol Products had become the largest wallpaper cleaner manufacturer in the world in the early 20th century. Fortunes began to change in the 1950s, though. With the transition from heating with dirtier coal to cleaner oil, gas and electricity, sooty buildup on wallpaper was no longer an issue in many households.The handwriting was on the wallpaper for Kutol. Founded in 1912 in Cincinnati, the company’s primary product—a soft, pliable compound used for wiping soot from wallpaper—was no longer in demand and the firm’s future looked bleak. Fortunately, the sister-in-law of one of its principals had an idea: let kids play with it.

Fleming, Mike Jr. (April 2, 2015). "Fox Molding 'Play-Doh' Film With Paul Feig Circling; Another Hasbro Toy Brand Making Movie Transfer". Deadline. Archived from the original on January 9, 2020 . Retrieved April 17, 2020.

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In 2003, the Toy Industry Association placed Play-Doh into its "Century of Toys List", a roll call of the 100 most memorable and most creative toys of the twentieth century. To mark the products 50th anniversary as a toy in 2006, Hasbro even created a Play-Doh perfume. It worked with Demeter Fragrance to create a fresh-out-of-the-can aroma. a b c Greg Hatala (January 28, 2014). "Made in Jersey: Play-Doh is a Dover teacher's handiwork". NJ.com, The Star-Ledger. Archived from the original on May 6, 2016 . Retrieved April 16, 2016.

a b "Rainbow Crafts Company, Inc". Ohio History Central. July 28, 2006. Archived from the original on January 12, 2015 . Retrieved October 30, 2008.

The 50 Year History of Play-Doh". 2006. Archived from the original on May 15, 2006 . Retrieved February 19, 2009. Play-Doh was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame at The Strong in Rochester, New York, in 1998. There was never a contract but the deal ran for years,” Bensch says. “Captain Kangaroo was a big cheerleader for the product.” Product 1: INCLUDES 2 PLAY-DOH CANS AND SHAPE-MAKERS – This basic set includes 2 non-toxic Play-Doh colours in reusable, recyclable 57g cans, and 2 shape-making rails that change the shape of the Play-Doh colours in 10 different ways as they come out of the machine. It's great for kids who love modelling clay and other shapeable squishy stuff! It’s a tale of technological obsolescence with a happy ending,” says Christopher Bensch, vice president of collections at the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York. “Fortunately, the sister-in-law realized it would make a better toy than a cleaning product. That turned the company’s fortunes around.”