Children’s toys are made for one sole purpose—making a child happy. If a company makes a toy that pleases a young child’s boredom, they are rewarded with lots of popularity and fortune. However, one company that has become overbearingly popular for arguably one of the most terrible toys known to man, Play-Doh.
After reading an article about the worst toys ever, I’ve come to an agreement with an author referenced in the article. Jessica Delfino wrote a piece about the most annoying kid’s toys. Delfino describes Play-Doh exactly the way I would have.
“Before I had a son, I gifted my niece a rainbow rack of Play-Doh. ‘Gee, thanks,’ my sister said, sarcastically. I was confused. What kind of monster dislikes Play-Doh? Today, I’m that monster, infuriated by the dried crumbs that are encrusted onto the expensive things I’ve worked hard for,” Delfino wrote.
As someone who works at a daycare, I completely find her point of view valid. Play-Doh dates back all the way to the mid-1950s, and yet it’s seen little to no change. The amount of negative possibilities and situations that come out of the use of Play-Doh are endless.
For starters, the mess is absurd. Kids find the craziest ways to leave copious amounts of Play-Doh on carpets, chairs, tables, blankets, hair or literally anywhere. On top of that, for some reason, the “appetizing” appearance guarantees at least one kid attempting to consume the substance. To put everything into perspective, Play-Doh’s website even provides clean-up tips on their website for customers.
While I can’t deny that Play-Doh is fun to play with—because that would be hypocritical to my elementary school self, it’s important to acknowledge that one can honestly only play with Play-Doh a few times before it dries out and becomes as solid as a rock.
I’ve had my fair share of toys, and I can vividly remember using Play-Doh as a child. Making messes with my sister, crying over who got to use what color, and creating absolute masterpieces will all always have a special place in my heart. On the contrary, I’m honestly not sure how my parents and parents all around the world put up with Play-Doh.
I’m not saying to go on strike against Play-Doh or even to stop buying it, but I am definitely backing up the argument that it’s arguably one of the worst children’s toys. For anyone above the age of seven, I can’t imagine them using it willingly, and the “fun” someone can get out of playing with it will never overrule the annoying cleanup brought by Play-Doh.