Playdough Problem

I bought my kids a very large vinyl table cloth. They are only allowed to play with the dough on the cloth, spread out on the floor. All of the little crumbs stay on the cloth, and when they are all finished playing, I fold up the cloth, bring it outside, and shake it off. Then I use a damp sponge to clean off the rest. It works very well because they have enough work space to keep it all contained on the cloth.

I have my kids use a aluminum foil cookie sheet under play dough, clay, or paint to contain the mess. It does the trick most of the time.

we have a plastic drop cloth we use when they paint and when they playdough.. I put it under their small table when they play. They are only allowed to play or paint there. Once done, its easy to clean up and I use it over and over again.. good luck!

M., after doing home daycare for years I can give you two tips. The first is to let them have playdough only at the kitchen table and only with a cookie sheet / jellyroll pan under it. all playdough has to stay on the pans. the pans have a slight lip that catches little bits. the other option is to have them sit outside at a picnic table. Never use it anywhere near carpet. good luck
S.

Sounds like you need a play dough break. At my house it will be out for a week or two, then it's gone for a month or so. I get tired of cleaning it up (although I like these tips). We pull out coloring, stamps, blocks, stickers...

Hi M.,
Here's a few ideas because my 2 kids really love playdough too:
Cover the floor area under your table with garbage bags that you cut open and spread out. When kids are done playing they can fold over the garbage bags and throw it out in the trash (but have them pick up larger chunks of good playdough that they can put back in the containers).

If your kids like to help you sweep up (mine think it's fun), then give them each a small hand broom and dustpan and let them clean up the floor themselves. They'll get really good at it with some practice. Or if you have a hand held vacuum Dustbuster they have fun using this too.

Also give your kids a wet paper towel to wipe up the table.

Have fun,
S.

I do it in the kitchen at a child size table and it's not a big problem. But if your kids are the extra messy kind have them work inside of a tray - you can buy a cookie sheet with edges (aren't they called something else?) and tell them the playdough has to stay ON the tray or they are done. I also remind them that any playdough that gets on the floor has to go in the garbage and then we won't have any.
(ps I do daycare so have up to 6 kids doing playdough at a time)

seriously, let it dry, vacuum it up...don't sweat the small stuff

I know exactly what you mean. Cleaning the stuff out of the carpet is a test of patience. My my kids were about 3 or 4, they had their own little table. I noticed that the biggest problem was right around the table so I bought a plastic mat that is used under highchairs and put it there. It helped quite a bit. Of course, it is much like Easter grass. You find bits of it months later. You could get a lttle plastic table for about $5 or so, or maybe find one on craigslist.

When I let my son play with playdoh when he was younger, I used the mat that goes on the floor under their highchair. I put it around his play area table.When he was done I would fold it up and shake it out side. It seemed to take care of most of the playdoh crumbs that fell on the floor.

Good luck!

I have my kids play with playdough on an old vinyl table cloth. When they are done, I take the table cloth outside and shake it out. I have also used this for indoor "picnics" in the winter.

M. in my house the playdough always seems to disappear......Hmmmm, I just don't know where it goes after the first couple of uses. After 15 years I don't do playdough anymore for the obvious reasons and that goes for those bugs you cook in the oven and frankly anything involving the oven and any art project that requires a battery in order to apply the art materials. Needless to say, that slime stuff is verboten and also those slimy rubber insects that stretch and stick to surfaces (!!!who designs these things?) I broke down this summer and bought my son some sand based toy and immediately questioned my own sanity especially because I live 1/3 mile from the beach. (That one is on a really high shelf) Well, you get the idea. I suggest you donate all that kind of stuff to your child's classroom!

I use a plastic tablecloth on the floor on the kitchen floor. They sit on it and play. All the toys/playdoh I keep in a milk crate. At cleanup time--my kids focus on the toys, I do the playdoh. I just pick up the tablecloth, walk it outside and shake it out. Yes sometimes there is a little that "hits the floor" that I sweep up afterwards, and yes I have specks of blue and pink playdoh on my driveway. But rather there than all over my house. If it gets on their clothes, I just change them. This only happens usually when we have a long playdoh session.

Oh, Play-Doh. Is there a mama alive who doesn't have a love/hate relationship with the stuff? Play-Doh delights children's senses; afterward, it is obnoxiously present in the carpet, their hair and their mouths. In our household, Play-Doh is one of those "max supervision" items. Our almost five year old does not get to play with certain art supplies like clay, markers, or paint on her own yet. I respect that she gets some sensory jollies out of these things; however, almost without exception it ends up everywhere but the area to which it's been designated.

I suggest you make a few rules - no Play-Doh outside of whatever area (kitchen table, playroom, et cetera) you choose. Keep an eye on your kiddos the first several times. If they cut the muster, then let 'em play with it alone - with the understanding if you find any outside of the play area that they lose access to whatever color that is, or no Play-Doh for "x" amount of time.

Good luck!

I make my kids play with it at the kitchen table- no going anywhere with carpet with their creations- then when they are done playing we clean up the table immediately- and then I sweep up right away too to prevent the spread!

I hate Play-Doh for the reasons you mentioned. It, along with Moon Sand, is an outdoor-only activity. I have found that for indoor use, the homemade stuff cleans up better than store-bought.

I love everyone else' ideas, but just want to add if you play with playdough outside remember to pick up the big pieces because they can break lawn mowers! Also, I put my kids in the big old highchair with the huge tray to do messy crafts.

Here's the secret... Play-doh is an outside toy...much easier to clean up on a driveway or concrete patio...

The giant size ziploc bags are a great way to store and keep play doh fresh and the "tools" contained.

I too occasionally acquiesce and bring out the heavy plastic tarp I got at IKEA and let them play-doh inside in cold weather in kitchen (tile floor) or basement.

M. G.

Hi M.
I work for an educational toy company and we have a product called Playfoam. It's superior to playdoh. If you give me your mailing address, I will be happy to send you some samples for your kids!

Along similar lines to other posts. We bought a clear shower curtain liner (very inexpensive). I put this down. It is pretty big and very thick so the kids can sit on it and play and it does not rip. Then we can just shake it out in the garbage or outside. It has worked well as a playdoh mat and under art projects. I even used it when painting some furniture.

I have a basement art/play room and generally the play dough stays there. However, in general there is a choice that we make between letting our children play with some of the mess that goes with it versus not. I lean toward the letting them play. I did also get an ikea little children's play table and chairs ($24.50) so as to contain the markers/pens/crayons. If sweetie writes on that table, it is okay as I consider it basically disposable. I might ban the play doh and a few other things from the living room. It also helps if you have wood floors rather than carpet or at least not long weave carpet. good luck.

Move the playdough to an outdoor event. Nice weather at a table over the lawn if possible. Then when they're bored let them chalk up the patio or sidewalk. The hose or rain removes it easily and no indoor mess..

I bought a plastic tablecloth at wal-mart and I lay it down on the playroom floor....then I tell my girls that they can play on the plastic tablecloth and the mess is easy to clean and contained.

I buy the biggest and cheapest vinyl tablecloth I can find and put it under the chairs if they are at the big table or under the childs size table if at that. Then when they are done you can take it outside and shake it off. Keeps the playdough off the floors pretty good.

Make sure your play doh stays moist. I add a little bit of water to the containers used and shake up the container. That adds enough moisture to keep it pliable and soft but not gooey. You'll get used to how much to put in. If you notice, new play doh doesn't do it. Just used play doh.

Also, you could try Crayola modeling clay. It doesn't dry up. It has a different texture and clean up on hands is a little stickier, but it beats having the dried balls.

Btw, thanks for posting this. I'm glad I'm not the only one annoyed!!

This drives me crazy as well. We have a table that has lots of crevices. The floor is always a mess after they use playdough. I purchased a small dust pan that came with a brush. I have one for the table and one for the floor. I have them marked on the handle of the brush. I let the kids use them to clean up the playdough. No, they don't get it all, but it's so much work for them, that they don't ask to play with it very often! lol My only other advice is that after a few hours the small pieces get hard pretty fast. The vac picks the hard pieces up pretty easily. I have hardwood floors & the swifter sweeper also works, but only after the playdough has gotten hard.