National Play-Doh Day
Play-Doh is a toy that has been enjoyed by millions of children since the 1950s. It was originally sold as a wallpaper cleaner by Joe McVicker of Cincinnati, Ohio, but was later reworked during the 1950s as a child’s toy. In 1958, McVicker filed for a patent for his creation.
Before he could receive the patent, however, General Mills ended up purchasing the product. Play-Doh was originally made in just the color white, but soon it was offered in blue, red, and yellow colors. It quickly became a beloved toy, and that’s why September 16th is now observed as National Play-Doh Day every year.
The History of National Play-Doh Day
In 1965, General Mills bought Rainbow Crafts, the company that produced Play-Doh, for about $3 million. In 1971, Rainbow Crafts and Kenner Products were merged together, and 16 years later, both companies were bought by the Tonka Corporation. In 1991, Hasbro became the owner of Play-Doh. In 2006, National Play-Doh Day was created by Hasbro.
Some Interesting Facts About Play-Doh
We can’t do a holiday article on National Play-Doh Day without taking the time to talk about Play-Doh, so we’ve gathered up some of our favorite Play-Doh facts and listed them below for everyone’s entertainment.
- Captain Kangaroo contributed to the popularity of Play-Doh.
- McVicker offered Captain Kangaroo 2% of Play-Doh sales for featuring the product once every week.
- Captain Kangaroo loved the product and featured it three times a week instead of just once.
- Over 3 billion cans of Play-Doh have been sold since 1956.
- Hasbro trademarked the scent of Play-Doh in 2017.
- In 1998, Play-Doh was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame.
Observing National Play-Doh Day
We think the best way to enjoy National Play-Doh Day is by taking the time to play with Play-Doh or at least buy some Play-Doh for your children. It’s also a good day to share some of your favorite Play-Doh stories on the internet with the hashtag #NationalPlayDohDay.