Play-Doh

Play-Doh is a children's modeling compound made of wheat flour, water, salt, boric acid, and mineral oil. It was first made in Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S., as a wallpaper cleaner in the 1930s. Children began using it as a modeling compound. It was changed and marketed to schools in the middle 1950s. Play-Doh was used at an educational convention in 1956. Important department stores opened retail accounts. Advertisements on many children's television shows in 1957 brought more sales. Play-Doh has much spinoff merchandise, such as The Fun Factory. In 2003, the Toy Industry Association named Play-Doh in its "Century of Toys List".

Play-Doh

Type	Modeling clay
Inventor(s)	Kay Zufall Brian Joseph McVicker Bill Rhodenbaugh
Company	Kutol (1955) Rainbow Crafts (1956–1971) Kenner (1971–1991) Hasbro (1991–present)
Country	United States
Availability	1956–present
Official website

Objects made of Play-Doh

Origin

The non-toxic, non-staining, reusable modeling compound that came to be known as "Play-Doh" was a stretchy, putty-like substance made by Noah McVicker of Cincinnati-based soap manufacturer Kutol Products. It was made at the request of Kroger Grocery, who wanted a product that could clean coal residue from wallpaper. Following World War II, with the change from coal-based home heating to natural gas and the resulting decrease in coal soot, and the introduction of washable vinyl-based wallpaper, the market for wallpaper cleaning putty decreased quite a lot. McVicker's nephew, Joe McVicker, joined Kutol to save the company from bankruptcy. Joe McVicker was the brother-in-law of nursery school teacher Kay Zufall, who had seen a newspaper article about making art projects with the wallpaper cleaning putty. Her students enjoyed it, and she persuaded Noah McVicker and Joe McVicker to manufacture it as a child’s toy. Zufall and her husband came up with the name Play-Doh; Joe McVicker and his uncle Noah had wanted to call it "Rainbow Modeling Compound".