Random...Do You Allow

[Blackcat31]

I used to be really anal about order and not mixing things or playing with pieces of one set of pieces while playing with another....but after my own kids were grown and gone, I saw the "damage" that can be done by restricting complete freedom with this kind of stuff....

.......so now art (and free play) are times where I simply look the other way and let the kids mix, share, mingle or combine any color (or pieces) they wish to.

It IS a learning experience for them and my need for order should never supercede their need to learn.

[daycarediva]

I have a bin for mixing and a bin for not. Kids can choose which they would like to do.

Some of my kids get very upset when they want to make pink flowers but the playdoh was mixed. This solved the issue completely. Now everybody is happy.

[wdmmom]

If it gets mixed, I throw it out. I'm too OCD. To me that means it's ruined and if I open a blue lid, I expect to find blue playdoh, not aqua or green or purple or any other crazy variation.

[Hunni Bee]

I don't allow mixing. I've been to busy to make play-dough lately so I bought a batch of 24 colors. It's nice to be able to know what color you're going to get by looking at the cover. I also have some kids that would get VERY upset to have brown play-dough when they were expecting green or pink!
Some of you do have me thinking though-maybe I am being a little ocd? Mixing colors most definitely would be a learning and creative opportunity! Maybe I'll have to have a talk with the kids and let them help decide what our play-dough rules should be.

Yeah my kids would get upset too. We have to buy playdough out of our own pockets, so we'd either end up with brown all the time, or be replacing it every week.

That's probably something it will be hard to let go of...even when I'm on my own.

[daycare]

I make my own and we play with it however....I really don't care if it gets mixed up or not. it still does what it is supposed to regardless of what color it it.

for me, this is a process type activity, not about the end result of how it will look when its done.

[Blackcat31]

Yeah my kids would get upset too. We have to buy playdough out of our own pockets, so we'd either end up with brown all the time, or be replacing it every week.

That's probably something it will be hard to let go of...even when I'm on my own.

My DH gags over the smell of store bought Play-Doh... (: so I have always made my own. We use Kool-Aid packs, jello and other additives to make it smell good and have vibrant colors.

We usually make a new batch (huge) each week or two and then we divide the large batch into smaller ones to add the colors and when it becomes that odd grayish-brown color that really isn't a color at all, I either send it home with the kids or toss it.

We start fresh again the next week.

Flour, salt and additives are ALWAYS on my list of "Items Wanted" that all my parents donate for.

[sharlan]

I try to keep it seperate, but it always ends up getting mixed. I often make a big batch of one color.

[Hunni Bee]

I have a bin for mixing and a bin for not. Kids can choose which they would like to do.

Some of my kids get very upset when they want to make pink flowers but the playdoh was mixed. This solved the issue completely. Now everybody is happy.

Excellent idea. I love it! You have really good ideas ��

[sharlan]

OT - I made a big batch of "star wars" playdoh using black food coloring and lots of silver glitter. The kids wouldn't even touch it.

[rmc20021]

Gonna have an early day today...

All my kids are getting picked up early today...what a great way to start a long weekend.

Going Camping...and then someplace I let my daughter talk me into called Turkeyville. Sounds like fun.

[kathiemarie]

Usually one colour each at a time. As it gets closer to needing a new batch I start to let them mix.

This is what I do also.

[AfterSchoolMom]

I'm usually very particular about things like this, but it doesn't bug me at all to let them mix it. All of our playdoh ends up gray and brown. :P It's really cheap, so no big deal.

[SunnyDay]

Yes, mixing doesn't bother me. I throw it out pretty often anyway due to germiness.

[countrymom]

I too have issues. I hate that it gets mixed up but they like to do it. I love play doh and I think it should stay the right color but the kids don't get it. I'm like all of you that die a little on the inside when the colors get mixed.

my other problem with store bought play doh is that i find it very rubbery. I'm going to make some homemade stuff this afternoon---but I do love the smell of it oh I love the smell of crayons too.

[Hunni Bee]

My DH gags over the smell of store bought Play-Doh... (: so I have always made my own. We use Kool-Aid packs, jello and other additives to make it smell good and have vibrant colors.

We usually make a new batch (huge) each week or two and then we divide the large batch into smaller ones to add the colors and when it becomes that odd grayish-brown color that really isn't a color at all, I either send it home with the kids or toss it.

We start fresh again the next week.

Flour, salt and additives are ALWAYS on my list of "Items Wanted" that all my parents donate for.

I like the homemade kind better too. I made pumpkin pie dough a couple years ago. I made it orange and added glitter and pumpkin pie spice. I added pans, rolling pins, etc. They loved it. I can't wait to get back into my thing.