From Crayons to Play-Doh: Days of Play for Pediatric Patients

We love any excuse to be silly and have fun, so grab some Play-Doh and play until the day is done! Last month we all colored some fancy paper lizards, and this month we can make some out of Play-Doh.

Did you know that the first 20 years of Play-Doh was never meant for play? It was originally marketed as a cleaning product! It can be used to remove oils and stains from walls, grease from bicycle chains, and general dust and grime. Joe McVicker, the creator of Play-Doh, was content with his product, as it was already in many homes across the United States and performing well according to its original design. Then, one day, an art teacher and friend of McVicker’s mentioned how difficult it was to use modeling clay with their students, and it got the gears turning for Mr. McVicker. He realized that his product could have a second use! After sending some to his friend, and seeing the success it had in the classroom, McVicker went worldwide.

To date, over two billion tubs of play-doh have been sold. If every one of those tubs had been rolled into one big ball, it would weigh as much as the Statue of Liberty! To celebrate such a cool history, our patients at Hasbro Children’s Hospital had a ton of fun with the colorful putty, building dinosaurs and fake tacos and houses and more. Grab yourself a tub and join the Play-Doh club!